Community Corner
Brooklyn, NYC Host Vigils After Zimmerman Acquittal
Demonstrations after slaying of Trayvon Martin found to be in self-defense.
A city that has gotten used to hearing the phrase "justice delayed" found themselves uttering it yet again Saturday night into Sunday, after Florida man George Zimmerman was acquitted in the slaying of Trayvon Martin.
The trial followed a 2012 incident in which Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Martin and claimed self-defense.
A six-member jury acquitted Zimmerman Saturday night. He was facing life in prison for second-degree murder, but the panel could also have considered manslaughter charges.
In New York, city politicians weren't shy about weighing in on the subject.
"Trayvon Martin's death was a terrible tragedy. This decision is a slap in the face to justice," Mayoral candidate and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio wrote on Twitter Saturday night.
"Today's acquittal in the Trayvon Martin case is a shocking insult to his family and everyone seeking #JusticeForTrayvon," Christine Quinn tweeted shortly after the verdict was handed down.
The next day, New Yorkers attended rallies in Union Square and Brooklyn Borough Hall, as well as other parts of the city. The Union Square rally marched south as the evening wore on.
State Sen. Daniel Squadron tweeted the photo above, standing with residents as part of a vigil.
For some New York City residents, the trial had eerie parallels to the Sean Bell verdict in Queens in 2008, with Martin and Bell often being mentioned in the same breath. Bell was killed by police officers in a shooting the night before his wedding in 2006.
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