Jump to content

Trayvon Martin

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Tayvon Martin)

Trayvon Martin
Martin at the Experience Aviation camp in 2009
Born
Trayvon Benjamin Martin

(1995-02-05)February 5, 1995
DiedFebruary 26, 2012(2012-02-26) (aged 17)
Cause of deathHomicide (gunshot wound)
Resting placeDade Memorial Park
Alma mater

Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was a 17-year-old African-American from Miami Gardens, Florida, who was fatally shot in Sanford, Florida, by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old Hispanic American. Martin had accompanied his father to visit his father's fiancée at her townhouse at The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford. On the evening of February 26, Martin was walking back to the fiancée's house from a nearby convenience store. Zimmerman, a member of the community watch, saw Martin and reported him to the Sanford Police as suspicious. Several minutes later, an altercation happened and Zimmerman fatally shot Martin in the chest.

Zimmerman was injured during the altercation with Martin. He said he shot Martin in self-defense[1] and was not charged at the time. The police said there was no evidence to refute his claim of self-defense, and Florida's stand-your-ground law prohibited them from arresting or charging him. After national media focused on the incident, Zimmerman was eventually charged and tried, but a jury acquitted him of second-degree murder and manslaughter in July 2013.[2]

Following Martin's death, rallies, marches, and protests were held across the United States. In March 2012, hundreds of students at his high school held a walkout in support of him. An online petition calling for a full investigation and prosecution of Zimmerman garnered 2.2 million signatures. Also in March, the media coverage surrounding Martin's death became the first story of 2012 to be featured more than the presidential race, which was underway at the time. A national debate about racial profiling and stand-your-ground laws ensued. The governor of Florida appointed a task force to examine the state's self-defense laws. Martin's life was scrutinized by the media and bloggers. The name Trayvon was tweeted more than two million times in the 30 days following the shooting.[3][4][5][6][7][8] More than 1,000 people attended the viewing of his remains the day before his funeral, which was held on March 3 in Miami. He was buried in Dade-Memorial Park (North), in Miami. A memorial was dedicated to Martin at the Goldsboro Westside Historical Museum, a Black history museum in Sanford, in July 2013.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

Biography

Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton at an event in 2012

Martin was born in 1995 in Miami, Florida, to Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, who divorced in 1999. At the time of the shooting, Fulton was a program coordinator for the Miami Dade Housing Authority, and Tracy Martin was a truck driver; they lived near each other in Miami Gardens. Martin's older maternal half-brother, Jahavaris Fulton, was a college student at the time (who would later testify in the Zimmerman trial).[13][15][16][17][18][19]

After being divorced, Martin's father married Alicia Stanley, who had two daughters from a previous marriage. They met when Martin was about three years old and were together for about 14 years. Stanley told CNN's Anderson Cooper that before she and Tracy Martin separated, Trayvon was with her 90% of the time, and that she went to all his football games and took care of him when he was sick. She said that Trayvon was a kind and loving person, not a 'thug' as the media portrayed him.[13][20][21][Note 1]

When Martin was nine years old, he pulled his father, who had been immobilized by burns to the legs, out of a fire in their apartment, saving his life.[13][22] Martin enjoyed sports video games.[23] He washed cars, babysat, and cut grass to earn his own money.[13][22][23] Martin had played football at the park since he was five years old and his team was coached in part by his father. Another of Martin's former football coaches said Martin had been one of the best players on their football team (The Wolverines) that played at Forzano Park in Miramar, Florida. Martin played for the Wolverines from ages 8 to 13 and sometimes sat out because his father benched him "because he messed up in school".[22] While in high school, Martin volunteered at Forzano Park, working in the concession stand and sometimes staying until 8:00 or 9:00 PM before going home. Martin's former football coach said he was a shy child and always walked with his hoodie and headphones on listening to music.[23]

Martin attended both Norland Middle School and Highland Oaks Middle School in north Miami-Dade County, Florida. He attended Miami Carol City High School in Miami Gardens for his freshman and sophomore years before he transferred to Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in north Miami-Dade in 2011. At the time of the shooting, Martin was a junior at Krop High School. Martin's cousin Stephen Martin, who had been in a park telling jokes with Trayvon the night before his death, said that he and Trayvon had been like brothers growing up. He recalled that Trayvon had been very skilled at assembling, repairing, and riding pocket bikes and dirt bikes. Miriam Martin, Trayvon's aunt and Stephen's mother, said her nephew had often stayed over to visit her family. She also said that Trayvon was fond of wearing a hoodie: "it could be 100 degrees outside and he always had his hoodie on."[22]

Martin had wanted to fly or repair airplanes, and in mid-2009 enrolled in "Experience Aviation", a seven-week program in Opa-locka, Florida, run by award-winning aviator Barrington Irving. According to Irving, Martin was a polite youth "[who] reminded me of myself because I had a strong interest in football until I fell in love with aviation." After Martin graduated from the program, he spent the next summer as a volunteer, helping out new students in the aviation program. According to his parents, Martin had hoped to attend the University of Miami or Florida A&M University.[23]

Later teenage years

Undated personal photo of Trayvon Martin wearing a hoodie as a teenager. This image was displayed by protesters and sold by merchants on hoodies, T-shirts, and keychains, prompting the family to trademark slogans using his name.[24]

When Martin started high school, his goal of playing professional football was put aside in favor of a career working with airplanes.[23] While in his freshman year at Carol City, Martin attended classes in the mornings at the high school and then went to George T. Baker Aviation School for the rest of his school day. Martin's ninth-grade teacher, who taught him three classes of Aerospace Technology at Baker Aviation School, said he was a normal student, well-behaved, who passed all his classes. According to another teacher at Carol City, math was his favorite subject, and she said she never saw Martin show disrespect. Some students at Carol City compared Martin's death to that of Emmett Till, one of the nation's most infamous civil rights cases.[13][22][23]

Martin's mother had him transferred to Dr. Michael M. Krop High School, which has approximately 2,700 students, for his junior year. Fulton said that her son had an average performance in school, and she transferred him because she thought Krop High School was better and she wanted a different environment for him. While a student at Krop High School, Martin had behavioral issues. At the time of the shooting, he was serving a ten-day suspension for having a marijuana pipe and an empty bag containing marijuana residue. He had been suspended twice before, for tardiness and truancy and marking up a door with graffiti. The suspension for graffiti was in October 2011, when Martin was observed by a school police officer on a security camera "hiding and being suspicious" in a restricted area of the school. According to the officer, he later observed Martin marking up a door with "W.T.F." ("what the fuck?"). When his backpack was searched the next day by a Miami-Dade School Police officer, looking for the graffiti marker, the officer found a dozen pieces of women's jewelry, a watch, and a screwdriver that was described by the school police officer as a burglary tool. The jewelry found in his backpack included silver wedding bands and earrings with diamonds. When Martin was asked by the officer if the jewelry belonged to his family or a girlfriend, he said a friend had given it to him. When asked for the name of the friend, Martin declined to provide it. The school police impounded the jewelry and sent photographs of it to detectives at Miami-Dade to investigate it further. No evidence surfaced at that time that the jewelry was stolen. An attorney for Martin's family said the parents did not know about the jewelry or screwdriver. Martin was not charged with any crime related to these suspensions and did not have a juvenile record.[25][26]

Digital footprint

Martin, known on Twitter by the nickname "Slimm", posted thousands of tweets over a period of months, according to the Miami Herald. Martin tweeted his last message two days before he was shot in February 2012.[Note 2] According to the Herald, Martin's digital footprint portrayed him as having a sense of humor and a preoccupation with girls and sometimes using profanity or obscene language when discussing sex in his tweets. Martin also enjoyed making jokes on Twitter about street culture and posted YouTube excerpts from films like Friday and Next Friday, which both made fun of street culture. Martin liked rap music and tweeted about Tupac Shakur, DMX, and Mystikal. He often quoted explicit song lyrics in his tweets. Martin's postings sometimes reflected a personal nature with references to Krispy Kreme doughnuts, ice cream, movies, and all-night study sessions. The Miami Herald also reported that Martin was unhappy at Krop High School: in one of his tweets, he wrote, "WULD I MISS KROP?? HELL NAW FUK DA SKOOL, FUK DA LUNCH, ND MOST OF ALL FUK DA FACULTY..... IMA MISS SUM OF DA STUDENTS, MAINLY DA BABIES ;)"[6][27][Note 3]

Critics of Martin had pointed out his tattoos, an empty marijuana bag, a photo of Martin with gold grills, and texts from his cell phone to claim he had a violent nature and that there was an effort to keep this information from the public.[6][28] His email and Facebook accounts were hacked by a white supremacist, and selected tweets from his Twitter account were published on the conservative website The Daily Caller. A picture of Martin making an obscene gesture from his account was widely circulated, while pictures from his account of Martin with a birthday cake, fishing with his father, and dressed in a prom suit were not.[6][29] The website Gawker obtained a screenshot of Martin's email account inbox before it was deleted, showing emails referring to SAT exams and scholarship opportunities.[30] During Zimmerman's trial, the judge granted defense lawyers access to Martin's cell phone, social media posts, and Facebook and Twitter accounts, saying that the defense team needed to be able to review the evidence for any indications of violent tendencies.[31][32] Some of the cell phone texts the defense wanted to use showed Martin had texted about his fights, marijuana use, and guns, and that he had described himself as "gangsta". Benjamin Crump, the Martins' family attorney, said whether Martin had worn gold teeth or used an obscene gesture had nothing to do with his death.[33][34][Note 4] The judge eventually ruled that Martin's social media posts would not be mentioned during the trial, although his marijuana use could be.[35] The defense did not present any of this information to the jury, and it was not entered into evidence.

Friends of Martin, who had known him from Highland Oaks Middle School and Carol City High School and corresponded with him over Twitter, said Martin was not prone to violence. One friend said he was the "walk away" type of guy: "he'd rather walk away than fight." She also said that she had never seen Martin's purported grills and did not know he had them until she saw the picture on the news, and that she never saw him in public with them on. Another friend from Twitter who had known him since middle school said he was funny and liked to joke around and make people laugh. A professor of media law at the University of Florida, Lyrissa Lidsky, said Martin's social media posts should be taken with a grain of salt because they do not necessarily reflect what a teenager was like in person. She said a person's online persona may not reflect a true image of who they are, especially with young people. University of Florida criminal law professor Kenneth Nunn said when he was concerned about a person's character, he would look at anything, including what Martin's behavioral traits have been or may have been over time.[6]

At a banquet for Associated Press Broadcasters in Florida, Benjamin Crump, and Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's defense attorney, both said the role that social media played immediately following Martin's death set a precedent. Crump said that social media had given people who normally would not have a voice in matters like this a chance to engage in the case. O'Mara said the misinformation that was tweeted following Martin's death "caused a firestorm that wasn't a full picture".[36][37]

Shooting

Tracy Martin said he took his son to Sanford "to disconnect and get his priorities straight".[12] Martin had been to Twin Lakes several times before with his father and sometimes played football with the kids in the neighborhood.[38][39][40] On the night of the shooting, Tracy was out to dinner with his fiancée, Brandy Green, while Tracy's and Green's sons stayed at home, watching TV and playing video games. Trayvon went out, walking to a local 7-Eleven store where he bought Skittles candy and an Arizona watermelon drink.[7][41][42][43][44][45]

As Martin was returning from the store to the Twin Lakes neighborhood, George Zimmerman, a volunteer Neighborhood Watch person, spotted Martin, who was 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) tall and weighed 158 pounds (72 kg) at the time of his death.[9] Zimmerman called Sanford police to report Martin, who he said appeared "suspicious". There was an altercation between the two individuals in which Zimmerman shot Martin, killing him. Zimmerman claimed self-defense[1] and was eventually charged in Martin's death. On June 10, 2013, Zimmerman's trial began in Sanford, and on July 13, a jury acquitted him of second-degree murder and of manslaughter charges.[46][47][48]

Aftermath and media discourse

2012

Martin's parents, upset that an arrest had not been made in their son's death, contacted Martin's sister-in-law, an attorney who put them in touch with Benjamin Crump, a civil rights attorney from Tallahassee, Florida. Crump took their case pro bono and retained Natalie Jackson, an attorney familiar with Sanford and Seminole County who specialized in women's and children's cases, to help with the Martin case. On March 5, Jackson asked Ryan Julison to help as well. A publicist, Julison initially approached several national media contacts about covering the shooting. Over the next few days and weeks, the national media started reporting on the shooting, including: Reuters, CBS This Morning, ABC World News, and CNN.[42][49][50][51] The Miami Herald reported that in the 30 days following the shooting, the name Trayvon was tweeted more than two million times.[7]

On March 8, Kevin Cunningham, a social media coordinator who had read about Martin's death, created a petition on Change.org, which became the largest in the website's history a few weeks later with 2.2 million signatures. Cunningham said he started the online petition demanding that authorities prosecute Zimmerman, and when the number of signatures reached 10,000, he transferred the petition to Martin's parents after Change.org contacted him. Cunningham was the media coordinator for KinderUSA and said he fell in love with social media during the Egyptian revolution and was inspired by the death of Khaled Said. He thought Martin's death could be a similar situation where the death of one person could trigger a reevaluation of society and revolutionize the justice system and the culture.[8]

Photo from the "Million Hoodie March" in Union Square

After the death of Martin, the media focus on the case was instrumental in developing a national debate about racial profiling and self-defense laws, with marches and rallies held across the United States.[52] One of the larger rallies, the "Million Hoodie March", was held in Manhattan's Union Square in New York City on March 21. People wore hoodies to symbolize their support for Martin and against profiling used against non-white youths in hoodies. According to Salon, close to five thousand people attended the March, while other media outlets estimated the supporters to be in the hundreds.[53][54] Martin's parents spoke at the event, and many of the participants at the event were Occupiers who had been evicted the night before from Union Square and returned for the March.[3][55]

At a White House press conference in March, President Obama was asked about the Martin shooting and said, "If I had a son he would look like Trayvon and I think they [his parents] are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves." Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate at the time, said that a full inquiry was needed so that "justice could be carried out with impartiality and integrity".[56] The Project for Excellence in Journalism reported in March that media coverage of the Martin case had become the first news story in 2012 to be reported on more than the presidential race.[5]

In June, Martin's parents and members of the Second Chance on Shoot First campaign delivered a petition with 340,000 signatures to the Citizen Safety and Protection task force asking for changes to the stand-your-ground law in Florida. Governor Rick Scott had established the task force after Martin's death to review and make recommendations about the law. Florida was the first state to pass a law that allowed an individual who felt threatened to stand their ground.[4][57] Joëlle Anne Moreno, a former federal prosecutor, who was part of the task force said it was "clear that there was lots of confusion around the statute". Marion Hammer, a National Rifle Association of America (NRA) lobbyist and former NRA president who had helped write Florida's law, said the law was not about one incident and there was nothing wrong with the law.[58] The task force eventually recommended against repealing the statute, saying Florida residents had a right to defend themselves with deadly force without a duty to retreat if they feel threatened.[59] [Note 5]

Stand-your-ground laws were not used as a legal defense in the trial of George Zimmerman and had no legal role in his eventual acquittal.[60][61][62]

In March 2012, Martin's parents created the Trayvon Martin Foundation, which is dedicated to helping families that have lost children to gun violence.[63][64]

2013

Martin's parents and their legal team enlisted the public relations services of The TASC Group to manage media attention around Martin's death and Zimmerman's subsequent trial.[65][66][67][68] In an interview with New York Times columnist Charles Blow in June, Martin's mother was asked about the texts recovered from her son's cell phone, which "appeared to show a boy who used marijuana, was involved in fights and had a handgun". She said that she was skeptical about the truthfulness of those claims and did not know if they were real or not. She wanted the world to remember him "as just an average teenager, somebody that was struggling through life, but nevertheless had a life".[69]

Politicians, celebrities, musicians, civil rights leaders, and citizens all expressed their opinions on every form of media following the acquittal of Zimmerman.[70] Four days after the acquittal, a group calling themselves the Dream Defenders began a sit-in at the Florida State Capitol to force a special legislative session on Florida's stand-your-ground law. After 31 days, their occupation of the Capitol ended without a special session being called.[71] A group of Martin supporters walked from Jacksonville, Florida, to Sanford to highlight what they believed were injustices concerning Florida's stand-your-ground law. The six-day walk was called the "Walk for Dignity" and ended with a community forum being held and a dedication of the Trayvon Martin memorial at the Goldsboro Westside Historical Museum in Sanford.[14] In Los Angeles, California, an area of a garden at Crenshaw High School was dedicated to Martin in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. A march was also held at the dedication to teach students how to express their First Amendment rights while standing their ground for youth Civil Rights, according to the school.[72]

President Obama speaking in July 2013 about Trayvon Martin[Note 6]

In July, President Obama made comments about the death of Martin after the acquittal of Zimmerman. He said, "I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see ... if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than defuse potential altercations." He stated that "The African-American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws, everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws". It was during these remarks when President Obama said, "Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago."[73][74]

2014 and later

On July 19, 2014, Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles was scheduled to hold a "peace walk and peace talk" hosted by Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin.[75] On May 13, 2017, Martin posthumously received a bachelor's degree in aeronautical science from Florida Memorial University "in honor of the steps he took during his young life toward becoming a pilot". Martin's parents accepted the award for their son.[76]

In January 2017, Martin's parents (under Penguin Random House) published a book about Martin's life and death entitled Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin.[77]

In October 2020, a street in front of the Dr. Michael M. Krop High School in Miami that Martin attended was named "Trayvon Martin Avenue".[78]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Alicia Stanley's interview aired on June 28, 2012
    * Video of Stanley's interview on AC360°
    * Transcript of Stanley's interview on AC360°
  2. ^ [6] The Miami Herald verified that the account was indeed Trayvon Martin's by cross-referencing his posts with those of the people he referenced.
  3. ^ Screenshot of Martin's nickname "Slimm" and Twitter handle, NO_LIMIT_NIGGA from Twitpic at the Wayback Machine (archived June 29, 2013)
  4. ^ Transcript of Martin's cell phone texts from November, 2011 to February, 2012. at the Wayback Machine (archived June 10, 2015)
  5. ^ Second Chance on Shoot First is a coalition that includes New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the NAACP and the National Urban League.[4]
    * Final report and other documents from the Task Force on Citizens Safety and Protection
  6. ^ Transcript of President Obama's Remarks
    * Remarks by the President on Trayvon Martin
    Video of President Obama's Remarks
    * President Obama Speaks on Trayvon Martin

References

  1. ^ a b Matt Gutman and Seni Tienabeso. "ABC News Exclusive: Zimmerman Medical Report Shows Broken Nose, Lacerations After Trayvon Martin Shooting". abcnews.go.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2018. Zimmerman has claimed self-defense in what he described as a life and death struggle that Martin initiated by accosting him, punching him in the face, then repeatedly bashing his head into the pavement" (in paragraph 2), and paragraph 12, "He later told officers his head was being pounded into the pavement and that he feared for his life, but that it was only when Martin seemed to reach for the gun wedges [sic] in his waistband that Zimmerman drew his weapon and fired directly into Martin's chest – killing him.
  2. ^ Alvarez, Lizette; Buckley, Cara (July 14, 2013). "Zimmerman is Acquitted in Trayvon Martin Killing". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "'Million Hoodie March' Held in Union Square In Memory Of Slain Florida Teenager". CBS New York. CBS New York Press. March 21, 2012. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Yamiche Alcindor and Gary Strauss (June 12, 2012). "Trayvon's parents protest use of 'stand your ground'". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 4, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Eric Deggans (March 30, 2012). "Update: Trayvon Martin story now more covered than presidential race". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Deborah Acosta (April 9, 2013). "What Trayvon Martin's tweets say about him". Miami Herald. McClatchy Washington Bureau. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c Frances S. Robles (March 31, 2012). "What is known, what isn't about Trayvon Martin's death". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  8. ^ a b Miranda Leitsinger (March 29, 2012). "How one man helped spark online protest in Trayvon Martin case". MSNBC. Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  9. ^ a b "A review of the evidence released in the Trayvon Martin case". Tampa Bay Times. Orlando Sentinel/Miami Herald. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  10. ^ Benjamin Hart (May 17, 2012). "Trayvon Martin autopsy report: killed by bullet fired at intermediate range". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  11. ^ Arelis R. Hernandez (March 24, 2012). "New Black Panther Party offers reward for capture of Florida shooter". The Plain Dealer. McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "Parents Seek Justice For Unarmed Son's Killing". CBS Miami. Associated Press. March 10, 2012. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Audra D.S. Burch and Laura Isensee (March 22, 2012). "Trayvon Martin, a typical teen with dreams of flying or fixing planes". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Group dedicates Trayvon Memorial in Sanford". Florida: WFTV 9. July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  15. ^ Frank Thorp and Matthew DeLuca (July 19, 2013). "Trayvon Martin's brother interning in office of Florida congresswoman". NBC News. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  16. ^ Hightower, Kyle. "Florida teen's mother says screams are her son's". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  17. ^ Bianca Prieto and Robert Nolin (March 17, 2012). "Tensions still simmer in Trayvon Martin shooting case". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  18. ^ Ari Odzer (March 27, 2012). "Krop Senior High Students Honor Fallen Classmate Trayvon Martin with "Chain of Life"". NBC Miami. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  19. ^ "Live Coverage of the George Zimmerman Trial". CNN. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  20. ^ Wendy Widom (July 1, 2013). "Alicia Stanley, Trayvon Martin's Stepmother, Finally Speaks Out". Chicago Now. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  21. ^ Kirsten West Savali (June 30, 2013). "Trayvon Martin's Stepmother Speaks Out (Video)". NewsOne. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  22. ^ a b c d e Yamiche Alcindor (December 11, 2012). "Trayvon Martin: Typical teen or troublemaker?". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  23. ^ a b c d e f Kim Segal (March 30, 2012). "Protesters declare 'I am Trayvon Martin,' but who was he?". CNN. Archived from the original on September 12, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  24. ^ "Trayvon Martin's case turns into brand". USA Today. March 28, 2012. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  25. ^ Jeff Burnside and Brian Hamacher (March 27, 2012). "Trayvon Martin Suspended From School Three Times". WTVJ (NBC 6 Miami). Archived from the original on September 13, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  26. ^ Frances Robles (March 26, 2012). "Multiple suspensions paint complicated portrait of Trayvon Martin". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  27. ^ David Weigel (March 26, 2012). "The Trayvon Martin Tweets". Slate. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  28. ^
    * Yamiche Alcindor, December 11, 2012 "Trayvon Martin: Typical teen or troublemaker?" Archived October 18, 2017, at the Wayback Machine USA Today
    * Martin family representative Ryan Julison told the Miami Herald that Trayvon did not have permanent grills on his teeth.
    * Retrieved September 16, 2013
  29. ^ Robert Mackey (March 29, 2012) Bloggers Cherry-Pick From Social Media to Cast Trayvon Martin as a Menace Archived October 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times
    * Team Ebony (March 30, 2012) "White Supremacist Hacks Trayvon Martin's Email" Archived October 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Ebony
    * Caroline Bankoff (March 29, 2012) "White Supremacist Claims to Have Hacked Trayvon Martin's Email, Social Media Accounts" Archived July 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, New York magazine
    * Retrieved September 16, 2013
  30. ^ Media that reported on Gawker article
    * Robert Mackey (March 29, 2012) "Bloggers Cherry-Pick From Social Media to Cast Trayvon Martin as a Menace" Archived September 11, 2015, at the Wayback Machine The New York Times
    * (April 8, 2012) Miami Herald Archived May 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
    * Caroline Bankoff (March 29, 2012) "White Supremacist Claims to Have Hacked Trayvon Martin's Email, Social Media Accounts" Archived July 22, 2015, at the Wayback Machine New York magazine
    * Gene Demby (March 29, 2012) "Trayvon Martin's Email And Facebook Accounts Allegedly Hacked By White Supremacist" Archived October 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine The Huffington Post
    * (April 9, 2012) McClatchy Washington Bureau (Reprint of Miami Herald) Archived September 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
    * Naeesa Aziz (March 30, 2012) "Trayvon Martin's Email Hacked, Messages Used to Attack Teen's Character" BET
    * Retrieved September 18, 2013
  31. ^ "George Zimmerman's attorneys can examine Trayvon Martin's school, social media records". Fox News. October 19, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  32. ^ Amanda Evans and Margaret Kavanagh (October 19, 2012). "Zimmerman judge allows access to Trayvon Martin's records". Central Florida News 13. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  33. ^ Lizette Alvarez (May 23, 2013). "Defense in Trayvon Martin Case Raises Questions About the Victim's Character". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  34. ^ Steve Almasy (May 28, 2013). "Zimmerman attorneys: Texts show Trayvon Martin 'hostile' day of shooting". CNN. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  35. ^ Rene Stutzman and Jeff Weiner (July 8, 2013). "George Zimmerman trial: Trayvon's father takes the stand". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 15, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  36. ^ Desiree Stennett (April 27, 2013). "O'Mara, Crump agree: Social media playing key role in Trayvon case". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  37. ^ "Social Media's Impact On Trayvon Martin Case". CBS Miami. Associated Press. April 28, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  38. ^ Lane DeGregory (March 25, 2012). "Trayvon Martin's killing shatters safety within Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  39. ^ "Police: Trayvon Martin's Death Ultimately Avoidable". CNN. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  40. ^ "Reporting Trayvon (A CJR guide to some helpful articles)". Columbia Journalism Review. April 2, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  41. ^ Adam Weinstein (March 18, 2012). "The Trayvon Martin Killing, Explained". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on September 13, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  42. ^ a b Daniel Trotta (April 3, 2012). "Trayvon Martin: Before the world heard the cries". Reuters. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  43. ^ "Trayvon Martin's friends say he never picked a fight". USA Today. Associated Press. March 24, 2012. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  44. ^ "Guide to state witnesses in George Zimmerman trial". Click Orlando. July 2, 2013. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  45. ^ "EVIDENCE: Trayvon Martin's Arizona brand watermelon juice". Local10.com. Post Newsweek. June 23, 2013. Archived from the original on July 9, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  46. ^ Bianca Prieto (March 14, 2012). "Trayvon Martin: 'We are gathered here today to demand justice' in teen's fatal shooting". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  47. ^ Serge F. Kovaleski and Lizette Alvarez (April 12, 2012). "A Day in Court and a New Lawyer for Defendant in Martin Case". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  48. ^ Adrian Camp O-Flores and Lynn Waddell (July 14, 2013). "Jury Acquits Zimmerman of All Charges". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  49. ^ Matthew Rosenbaum (March 9, 2012). "Florida Family Seeks Justice After Unarmed Teen Shot By Neighborhood Watch Captain". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  50. ^ Vivian Kuo (March 12, 2012). "Florida teen's shooting by watchman questioned". CNN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  51. ^ Paul Farhi (April 12, 2012). "Trayvon Martin story found the media". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  52. ^ "Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson Speak At "Justice For Trayvon" March in Sanford". CBS Miami. Associated Press. March 31, 2012. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  53. ^ Jared T. Miller (March 22, 2012). ""Million Hoodie March" in New York Rallies Support for Trayvon Martin". Time. Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  54. ^ Deepthi Hajela (March 21, 2012). "Trayvon Martin 'Million Hoodie March' March Draws Hundreds In New York City". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 2, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  55. ^ Natasha Lennard (March 22, 2012). "Occupiers march for Trayvon Martin at "Million Hoodie March"". Salon. Archived from the original on July 22, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
  56. ^ Matt Williams (March 23, 2012). "Obama: Trayvon Martin death a tragedy that must be fully investigated". The Guardian. New York. Archived from the original on September 9, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  57. ^ Steve Klingaman (April 11, 2012). "Ten Reasons to Repeal Stand Your Ground Laws". Open Salon. Retrieved September 11, 2013.[dead link]
  58. ^ Patrik Jonsson (April 11, 2012). "Trayvon Martin case reveals confusion over how Stand Your Ground works". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  59. ^ Dara Kam (November 13, 2012). "Florida's Stand Your Ground panel: keep self-defense law intact". Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  60. ^ "Mark O'Mara: George Zimmerman verdict the same without Stand Your Ground". Tampa Bay and Sarasota: CBS 10. July 18, 2013. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  61. ^ "George Zimmerman's attorneys won't use "stand your ground" defense". CBS News. Associated Press. August 13, 2012. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  62. ^ Abrams, Dan (February 7, 2014). "No, Florida's Stand Your Ground Law Did Not Determine Either Zimmerman or Dunn Cases". ABC. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  63. ^ A Look Back At Trayvon Martin's Death, And The Movement It Inspired Archived June 20, 2021, at the Wayback Machine NPR, July 31, 2018, Karen Grigsby Bates
  64. ^ "TMF – Travon Martin Foundation". Trayvonmartinfoundation.org. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  65. ^ The Trayvon Martin Foundation (June 5, 2014). "The Trayvon Martin Story". The Public Relations Society of America. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  66. ^ The Daily Narrative (July 19, 2013). "Sybrina Fulton & Tracy Martin Comment on President Obama's Remarks About Trayvon Martin". The Daily Narrative. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  67. ^ Sean Hogan, Mary Carr Mayle (June 25, 2013). "Wading through a PR crisis". Savannah Now. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  68. ^ The Tasc Group (June 25, 2013). "The Tasc Group Clients". The Tasc Group. Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2017.
  69. ^ Charles M. Blow (June 5, 2013). "Sybrina's Sorrow". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 10, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  70. ^ Media reporting after acquittal in July 2013
    * Ryan J. Reilly "Politicians React To George Zimmerman Not Guilty Verdict" Archived October 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine The Huffington Post, (Politicians)
    * Andrea Mandell "Celebs react to George Zimmerman verdict" Archived September 4, 2017, at the Wayback Machine USA Today, (Celebrities)
    * Miriam Coleman "Musicians React to George Zimmerman Verdict" Archived September 19, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Rolling Stone, (Musicians)
    * "Reactions to Zimmerman Not Guilty Verdict Flood Social Media" Archived October 18, 2017, at the Wayback Machine The Wall Street Journal, (Social media)
    * Emanuella Grinberg "Anger, sadness but 'little surprise' over Zimmerman verdict" Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine CNN, (Social media)
  71. ^ Bill Cotterell (August 16, 2013). "'Stand Your Ground' protesters end sit-in at Florida state Capitol". Yahoo News. Reuters. Archived from the original on August 27, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  72. ^ "Crenshaw High School Hosts Trayvon Martin Dedication For MLK Jr. Anniversary". CBS Los Angeles. August 27, 2013. Archived from the original on August 31, 2013. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
  73. ^ Tom Cohen (July 19, 2013). "Obama: 'Trayvon Martin could have been me'". Washington D.C.: CNN. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  74. ^ Amanda Terkel (July 19, 2013). "Obama Calls For Review Of 'Stand Your Ground' Laws After Trayvon Martin Verdict". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  75. ^ Merl, Jean (July 19, 2014). "Celebrities to attend peace walk, talk today to honor Trayvon Martin". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  76. ^ Hauser, Christine (May 5, 2017). "Florida University to Award Posthumous Degree to Trayvon Martin". New York Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  77. ^ "Rest in Power". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
  78. ^ Miami street to be named after Trayvon Martin Archived July 9, 2021, at the Wayback Machine CNN, Kelly Murray, October 11, 2020