Martin family attorney: race not part of process - WFLA News Channel 8

Martin family attorney: race not part of process

Posted: Updated:
SANFORD, FL (WFLA) -

The family of Trayvon Martin believe they're going to get a "fair verdict," an attorney for the family said at a news conference Thursday. 

Martin's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin appeared at the news conference outside the Seminole County Courthouse after day four of the trial of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer accused of second-degree murder in Martin's death. Zimmerman claims he shot the 17-year-old in self-defense.  

Attorney Darrell Parks spoke for the parents at the news conference, and talked about an issue that has prompted discussions across the country since the shooting in February 2012.

"We want to make it very clear to this family race is not a part of this process and anyone who tries to inject race in to it is wrong," he said.

Martin was black, and Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

Prosecutors have said that Zimmerman profiled Martin that night in his neighborhood. Before the trial began, the judge said that prosecutors could say Zimmerman "profiled" Martin but not that he "racially profiled" him.

"When you try to inject race into a case like this here that means you're trying to push somebody who's making a decision one way or the other," Parks said. "And that's not what you want."

The comments came on a day when race did come up at the trial, as defense attorney Don West questioned Martin's friend Rachel Jeantel about why she believed what happened was a "racial" thing.

Jeantel was on the phone with Martin the night he encountered Zimmerman. Jeantel said Martin told her a man was following him.

"What's one thing about what Trayvon Martin told you that made you think this was racial?" West asked Jeantel during cross examination.

"Describing the person," Jeantel responded to West.

West pressed her for more information and the attorney later said, "that's because he described him as a ‘creepy a** cracker.'"

Jeantel responded, "Yes."

The exchanges between Jeantel and West got testier as the day progressed.

At one point, West suggested that though Martin told her he was by his father's fiancee's house while Zimmerman was following him, that she doesn't know that for sure.

"Why he need to lie about that, sir?" Jeantel asked West.

"Maybe if he decided to assault George Zimmerman, he didn't want you to know about it," West replied.

"That's real retarded, sir," she said. "That's real retarded to do that, sir."

When asked by West if she had previously told investigators that she heard what sounded like somebody being hit at the end of her call with Martin, Jeantel said, "Trayvon got hit."

"You don't know that? Do you? You don't know that Trayvon got hit," West answered angrily. "You don't know that Trayvon didn't at that moment take his fists and drive them into George Zimmerman's face."

Later in the morning, West accused Jeantel of not calling police after Martin's phone went dead because she thought it was a fight he had provoked.

"That's why you weren't worried. That's why you didn't do anything because Trayvon Martin started the fight, and you knew that," West said.

"No sir!" Jeantel said. "I don't know what you're talking about."

At one point, West handed her a letter she had written with the help of a friend to Martin's mother explaining what happened. She looked at it but then said she couldn't read cursive handwriting. Jeantel later explained she is of Haitian descent and grew up speaking Creole and Spanish.

Lauren Mayk is reporting on this story from Sanford.  You can follow her on Twitter for constant updates at @laurenmaykwfla

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @WFLA

  • NewsMore>>

  • #Sabrastian dog duo adopted at Humane Society of Tampa Bay

    #Sabrastian dog duo adopted at Humane Society of Tampa Bay

    Monday, December 29 2014 3:40 PM EST2014-12-29 20:40:36 GMT
    Dynamic dog duo adopted together!Dynamic dog duo adopted together!
    They've been a pair since day one. The Humane Society of Tampa Baywas doing everything they could to keep Sabrina and Sebastian together - there was even an ad campaign created to find "Sabrastian" a home for Christmas.Sebastian and his sister Sabrina had been at the Humane Society for nearly a year - the longest standing residents.
    They've been a pair since day one. The Humane Society of Tampa Baywas doing everything they could to keep Sabrina and Sebastian together - there was even an ad campaign created to find "Sabrastian" a home for Christmas.Sebastian and his sister Sabrina had been at the Humane Society for nearly a year - the longest standing residents.
  • Florida is toughening its child-seat safety law

    Florida is toughening its child-seat safety law

    Monday, December 29 2014 3:02 PM EST2014-12-29 20:02:31 GMT
    Florida is toughening its child-seat safety law, requiring kids ages four and five to be fastened in a booster seat. The law goes into effect Friday, January 1st. Under current law, children could transition to a regular seatbelt in the backseat as soon as they turned four.
    Florida is toughening its child-seat safety law, requiring kids ages four and five to be fastened in a booster seat. The law goes into effect Friday, January 1st. Under current law, children could transition to a regular seatbelt in the backseat as soon as they turned four.
  • Georgia woman killed in pedestrian hit and run in Pinellas

    Georgia woman killed in pedestrian hit and run in Pinellas

    Monday, December 29 2014 2:55 PM EST2014-12-29 19:55:57 GMT
    A Georgia woman visiting Pinellas County sustained serious injuries in a pedestrian hit and run, authorities said. St. Petersburg police located the vehicle believed to be involved in the incident, but no arrest had been made by late Sunday. ...
    A Georgia woman visiting Pinellas County sustained serious injuries in a pedestrian hit and run, authorities said. St. Petersburg police located the vehicle believed to be involved in the incident, but no arrest had been made by late Sunday. ...
  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular StoriesMore>>

  • Alleged sex victims sue when predator wins lottery

    Alleged sex victims sue when predator wins lottery

    Monday, December 29 2014 6:16 AM EST2014-12-29 11:16:12 GMT
    Timothy Poole. AP photoTimothy Poole. AP photo
    Two alleged victims of a registered sex offender have filed a lawsuit seeking damages for pain and suffering after the man won $3 million in a Florida Lottery jackpot.
    Two alleged victims of a registered sex offender have filed a lawsuit seeking damages for pain and suffering after the man won $3 million in a Florida Lottery jackpot.
  • How difficult is it to drive a fire engine? News Channel 8 tests it out

    How difficult is it to drive a fire engine? News Channel 8 tests it out

    Friday, December 19 2014 5:19 PM EST2014-12-19 22:19:05 GMT
    Fire fighters get held up on their way to emergencies because of dangerous drivers. Some drivers won't pull over. Others stop abruptly. Getting a fire engine to stop on a dime is difficult.
    Fire fighters get held up on their way to emergencies because of dangerous drivers. Some drivers won't pull over. Others stop abruptly. Getting a fire engine to stop on a dime is difficult.
  • 61 suspected prostitutes and 'Johns' arrested in Polk County undercover operation

    61 suspected prostitutes and 'Johns' arrested in Polk County undercover operation

    Wednesday, December 10 2014 9:18 PM EST2014-12-11 02:18:28 GMT
    A four-day investigation targeting prostitution resulted in the arrest of 61 people in Polk County including a former Baltimore police officer, a math tutor from Georgia and a PGA pro.
    A four-day investigation targeting prostitution resulted in the arrest of 61 people in Polk County including a former Baltimore police officer, a math tutor from Georgia and a PGA pro.
Powered by WorldNow

200 South Parker Street, Tampa, FL 33606

Telephone: 813.228.8888
Fax: 813.225.2770
Email: news@wfla.com

Can’t find something?
Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General Company.