For the first time since that fateful night on February 26, the father of a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager sat down for a television interview.
For the first time since that fateful night on February 26, the father of a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager sat down for a television interview.
LAKE MARY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
Robert Zimmerman Jr. says, right after Trayvon Martin was shot and killed, there was a public relations campaign to ruin George Zimmerman's reputation. He says it was fabricated by people looking to gain attention in the case and now he'd like a federal investigation into whether his brother's civil rights were violated.
"He is not a murderer.," Robert Zimmerman Jr. says as he continues to defend his brother George. And this time, he's using an online petition to gather support. "The malicious stories they told in the beginning that even made a prosecution like this even possible. I don't think this should have been prosecuted."
The petition is one of many created on a website created by the White House, allowing citizens to speak out about their concerns. Robert says a man named David from California created this petition asking for a federal investigation into the malicious prosecution of George Zimmerman. While some Trayvon Martin supporters question the credibility of the creator, Robert Jr says the message on the petition is important because it questions the people involved early in the case, "Had more to do with promoting a self serving agenda and there's also some political interests or political motivations."
He says it was wrong for Trayvon Martin's family attorneys to insinuate that his brother is a racist murderer. "I think Benjamin Crump and Natalie Jackson laid a foundation for that to happen. Both Crump and Jackson deny acting malicious towards George Zimmerman. We talked to Benjamin Crump over the phone, "Everything we did I feel was certainly appropriate because there was going to be no arrest of a killer of an unarmed kid and that is a true tragedy." They say, they never called George Zimmerman a racist murderer, "We said from the beginning we don't know who he is, other than the fact that he shot this unarmed kid."
"In my eyes, George was a victim in a heinous assault," he says.
Zimmerman needs 25,000 signatures to get the attention of the federal government. Right now, he has around 70, but plans to work hard to collect more.
"It's my hope that we get to that. I think there should be consequences."
George Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, has said that he's using social media to defend his client and protect his reputation.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 2:45 PM EDT2013-05-14 18:45:41 GMT
Audio experts gave differing opinions on whether screams for help captured on 911 calls were those of neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman or Trayvon Martin.
Audio experts gave differing opinions on whether screams for help captured on 911 calls were those of neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman or Trayvon Martin.
A judge in the case of a former neighborhood watch leader accused of shooting Florida teenager Trayvon Martin is set to hear arguments on a request by defense attorneys to delay the trial.
A judge in the case of a former neighborhood watch leader accused of shooting Florida teenager Trayvon Martin has denied a defense request to delay the trial.
Thursday, September 20 2012 8:10 AM EDT2012-09-20 12:10:24 GMT
After new evidence was released in the State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman case, Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara has made plans to hit back. He says, he's going to ask for more DNA testing.
After new evidence was released in the State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman case, Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara has made plans to hit back. He says, he's going to ask for more DNA testing.
Wednesday, September 19 2012 12:45 PM EDT2012-09-19 16:45:26 GMT
Forensic tests show George Zimmerman's DNA was the only one that could be identified on the grip of the gun used to fatally shoot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Forensic tests show George Zimmerman's DNA was the only one that could be identified on the grip of the gun used to fatally shoot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Monday, August 13 2012 4:57 PM EDT2012-08-13 20:57:25 GMT
The attorney for the shooter of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin says he is filing his appeal this week of the trial judge's recent ruling not to recuse himself from the case.
The attorney for the shooter of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin says he is filing his appeal this week of the trial judge's recent ruling not to recuse himself from the case.
