Travyon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, testified against 'Stand Your Ground' laws at a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
Fulton claims that George Zimmerman, the man who killed her 17 year old son, exploited a controversial law that 'creates many opportunities for people to commit terrible acts of violence and evade justice."
Fulton and her ex-husband, Tracy Martin, have spoken against the controversial law since their son's death in February of 2012.
"Trayvon was minding his own business. He wasn't looking for any type of trouble. He wasn't committing any crimes and that's important to remember, " she said. "What kind of messages are we sending if our kids don't feel safe, don't feel safe simply walking to the store to get a candy and a drink?"
Lucia McBath, the mother of murder victim Jordan Davis, also testified at the hearing.
The legendary singer is refusing to perform in the State of Florida until it abolishes its' Stand Your Ground Law.
George Zimmerman, the man who fatally shot Trayvon Martin and claimed self defense under the controversial law, was recently acquitted on all charges sparking outrage across the United States.
Wonder announced his decision to boycott in Quebec City, Canada on Sunday.
"The truth is that — for those that we have lost in the battle for justice, wherever that fits in any part of the world —we can't bring them back," he said. "What we can do is we can let out voices be heard. And we can vote in our various countries throughout the world for change and equality for everybody. That's what I know we can do."
Rapper Young Jeezy released a Trayvon Martin tribute, titled 'It's a Cole World,' hours after George Zimmerman was acquitted for the 17 year old's tragic death.
"I am in no way shape, form, or fashion trying to capitalize off of the latest series of events," he said. "These are my true feelings and my form of expression about it."
George Zimmerman, the man who was found not guilty on all charges concerning the death of Trayvon Martin, is not off the hook – yet.
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the death of Trayvon Martin to determine whether to file criminal civil rights charges against George Zimmerman.
"Experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation of crime of the limited civil rights statutes within our jurisdiction, and whether federal prosecution is appropriate in accordance within the Department's policy governing successive federal prosecution following a state trial," said a statement released by the DOJ.
The NAACP backed the decision by creating a petition encouraging the Justice Department to open a civil rights case against Zimmerman.
"The most fundamental of civil rights – the right to life – was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and took the life of Trayvon Marin. We ask that the Department of Justice file civil right charges against Mr. Zimmerman for this egregious violation," the petition stated.
Over 100,000 people have signed the petition to date.
Fox News' Sean Hannity sat down with George Zimmerman, who killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin, on Wednesday.
During the interview, Zimmerman told Hannity: "I hope it's the most difficult thing I'll ever have to go through in my life."
When Hannity asked, "Do you feel you wouldn't be here for this interview if you didn't have that gun?"
Zimmerman replied, " I feel it was all God's plan..."
Tracey Martin, who is the mother of Trayvon Martin, released a statement, saying : "We must worship a different God because there is no way that my God would have wanted George Zimmerman to kill my teenage son."
George Zimmerman, the man who killed Trayvon Martin, asked for a new judge on Friday.
Lawyers for Zimmerman accused Judge Kenneth Lester of being biased and giving 'a personal opinion' during a July 5 bond hearing.
"In doing so, the court has created a reasonable fear in Mr. Zimmerman that this court is biased against him and because of this prejudice he cannot receive a fair and impartial trail or hearing by this court," the statement said.
Zimmerman's legal team requested a new judge in April after finding that the presiding judge's husband was asked to join his defense team.
George Zimmerman, the man who killed Trayvon Martin, has been released from jail.
Zimmerman was released one day on $1 million bond after a judge determined that his actions were not enough to hold him without bail.
His original bond of $150,000 was revoked after prosectors proved that he and his wife lied about thier finances.
"We we hoping the bail would be considerably less than what it was. And we will take the judge's comments to heart but we don't neccesarily agree with him and we will decide what's next," said Zimmerman's attorney Don West.
Trayvon Martin's parents spoke to media about Zimmerman's release.
"As we said from the beginning we have stong faith in God," said Trayvon's father, Tracy Martin. "And we'll continue to lean on God and ask him to give us the faith in the justice system, and justice will prevail."
Judge Kenneth Lester, the man who is overseeing the Trayvon Martin case, set a $1 million bond for George Zimmerman on Thursday.
Zimmerman's original $150,000 bond was revoked after prosecutors proved that Zimmerman and his wife lied about their finances.
Lester is certain that Zimmerman took advantage of the system, but he does not believe it is enough to hold him without bail.
The court order states: "The court has, thus far,declined to exercise its contempt powers and the state failed to prove that the defendant be held without bond."
The court said that Zimmerman has the money needed for his release.
George Zimmerman, the man charged with the murder of Trayvon Martin, has two days to report to jail.
Kenneth R. Lester Jr., a Florida judge, revoked Zimmerman's bond after prosecutors claimed that Zimmerman and his wife lied about their finances.
During a bond hearing in April, Zimmerman's wife claimed they had limited funds.
Later, prosecutors discovered that Zimmerman's donation website earned $135,000 at the time of the hearing.
"This court was led to believe they didn't have a single penny," said prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda. "It was misleading and I don't know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie."
In April, Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin. His trial is not expected to begin until sometime next year.
According to ABC News, medical reports have been released proving that George Zimmerman did have injuries after fatally shooting 17 year old Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman told police that he shot Martin after being punched in the face and having his head slammed against pavement.
Medical reports show that Zimmerman was diagnosed with a broken nose, black eyes, and two lacerations on the back of his head.
These records could be used to back Zimmerman's claim of self-defense, but prosecutors are likely to claim that the injuries are the result of a teenage boy fighting for his life.
Florida's stand your ground law sparked controversy with the Trayvon Martin case and now it's sparking more with 31 year old, Marissa Alexander.
Alexander was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot to escape her abusive husband on Friday.
Her attorneys cited the Stand Your Ground law, claiming that Alexander was acting in self-defense.
The judge and the jury ruled the Stand Your Ground law out because she left and returned with a gun.
Angela Corey, the State Attorney responsible for the Trayvon Martin case, offered Alexander a 3 year sentence before the trial, but she refused.
Alexander's attorney, Kevin Cobbin, does not believe that the Stand Your Ground Law is applied fairly.
"The law was made for people like Ms. Alexander. They did not make it for people running around the streets shooting people. They made it for women in their homes trying to defend themselves against abusive men," he said. (Source)
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