Trayvon

Amy Goodman interviews Benjamin Jealous, President of the NAACP, concerning the murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin.  Mr. Jealous is calling for the killer's immediate arrest and the Sanford, Florida police chief's ouster.  Over a million people have signed a change.org petition here, calling for prosecution.

The Los Angeles Times has reported in the last six hours that Sanford police chief Bill Lee has temporarily stepped down under mounting pressure.  CBS reports that Trayvon's parents state that they are not satisfied with the temporary removal of Bill Lee and want the killer, Ronald Zimmerman, arrested, and a conviction for the murder of their child.  MSNBC is currently reporting that Florida governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi are appointing a new prosecuter to investigate the case. 

For futher background, Ms. Goodman has this article, Walking While Black: The Killing of Trayvon Martin.  She writes,

NAACP President Ben Jealous, recounting a mass meeting in a Sanford-area church Tuesday night, quoted a local resident who stood up and said, “‘If you kill a dog in this town, you’d be in jail the next day." Trayvon Martin was killed four weeks ago, and his killer is still walking the streets.' 

'With his gun,' adds Ms. Goodman, as Mr. Zimmerman's gun was not taken away either.

Courtesy of the Christian Science Monitor

AP Photo/HO, Martin Family Photos

Trayvon Martin, 1995-2012

On Wednesday, thousands took to the streets of New York City, livestreamed by Tim Pool, chanting "We are Trayvon Martin!"  Thousands reportedly marched in different locations, one group effectively eluding several attempts by police to "corral" or "capture" demonstrators - including on the Brooklyn Bridge - and by rapidly switching directions as a *unified mass* and continuing to march and voice their outrage.

In the Democracy Now! video and video posted at the LA Times website, Trayvon's mother speaks to protesters, stating, "Our son did not commit any crime.  Our son is your son.  I want you guys to stand up for justice and to stand up for what is right.  This is not about a black and white thing.  This is about a right and wrong thing."

Right Versus Just

Back in Denmark, the State continues to insist on "being right," at all costs, rather than being just.  Georgia prison authorities have denied Troy Davis' request to take a lie detector test.  N.A.A.C.P. officials in contact with the Department of Justice hope the federal government will intervene on the basis of civil rights violations and "irregularities in the original investigation and at the trial." 

The New York Times reports:

Edward O. DuBose, president of the Georgia chapter, said the organization had “very reliable information from the board members directly that the board was split 3 to 2 on whether to grant clemency.”

“The fact that that kind of division was in the room is even more of a sign that there is a strong possibility to save Troy’s life,” he said.  

The issues in Mr. Davis' case transcend partisanship and even the death penalty debate.  Many prominent leaders have stepped forward to ask for clemency, including former President Jimmy Carter, 51 members of Congress, former FBI Director William Sessions (under Reagan and Bush Sr.), former Georgia representative and Republican Bob Barr, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Pope, and the European Union. 

Benjamin Jealous, head of the N.A.A.C.P., is asking President Obama for a reprieve;  also, The Innocence Project has asked the Chatham County D.A., Larry Chisholm, to pull the execution because there is no DNA evidence linking Mr. Davis to the crime.  (Mr. Chisholm was not the D.A. at the time the case was decided, and stated that he would not have sought the death penalty.)

Meanwhile, protestors continue to gather in Georgia.

Courtesy of The Grio

Courtesy of The Grio

The Grio reports that demonstrations are spreading worldwide with several planned at U.S. Embassies. 

Mr. Davis is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 7:00 P.M. in Georgia this evening.  He has repeatedly maintained his innocence.

Mr. Davis is presently with family members and has refused a last meal.  In a recent conversation with an Amnesty International U.S.A. representative, he stated:  “I will not stop fighting until I’ve taken my last breath.  Georgia is prepared to snuff out the life of an innocent man.”