The Trayvon Martin Case

Hour 2

The shooting death of Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in Florida has sparked outrage around the country. The 17-year-old black teen was unarmed and walking home from a convenience store when he was shot by Zimmerman, who has claimed self-defense. Because of Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which allows citizens to use deadly force and be immune from prosecution when their life is in imminent danger, Zimmerman has not been arrested. As anger and protests mount over the case, even President Obama has weighed in on the tragic death of Trayvon and both the Justice Department and FBI have begun civil rights investigations. Today we discuss the Trayvon Martin case and the larger issues it raises about race, gun laws, and civil rights. Marty talks with JAMES PETERSON, Director of Africana Studies at Lehigh University, ANTHONY MURPHY, executive director of Town Watch Integrated Services which trains and supports neighborhood watch groups in Philadelphia, and DAVID RUDOVSKY, a civil rights lawyer and professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Listen to the mp3

Listen:
[audio: 032612_110630.mp3]