Trayvon Martin (left) was killed by George Zimmerman (right) in 2012. Zimmerman is suing Martin's family. (Photograph: composite/Common Dreams)
Dec 03, 2019
George Zimmerman, the former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, is suing the victim's family, prosecutors, and the media for $100 million in damages.
Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Martin in 2013.
"Imagine killing an unarmed child and then suing his parents," tweeted Center for Policing Equity president Phillip Atiba Goff.
The lawsuit, which Zimmerman's lawyer Larry Klayman--a right-wing legal advocate--filed in Polk County Circuit Court in Florida Wednesday names Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, as the lead defendant. Fulton is running for Congress in Florida's District 1.
According to the Miami Herald:
The suit in Polk County Circuit Court cites information in a documentary about the case that accuses the Martin family of engineering false testimony, and the director has scheduled a press conference this week in Coral Gables to coincide with a film screening there. The suit seeks $100 million in civil damages, alleging defamation, abuse of civil process and conspiracy. A copy of the suit was distributed to media Wednesday by the movies' director, Joe Gilbert. The case does not yet appear on the online docket of the Polk court system.
Zimmerman, Klayman, and Gilbert will host a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Coral Gables Art Cinema.
Documentary filmmaker Billy Corben said in a tweet he was outraged at the cinema's involvement in what he called a "disgraceful sham."
\u201cShame on @gablescinema for hosting this disgraceful sham: George Zimmerman announces lawsuit against family of Trayvon Martin, publisher, prosecutors for $100 million with press conference and documentary screening at Coral Gables Art Cinema https://t.co/R2hOIjoVoN @mike23mena\u201d— Billy Corben (@Billy Corben) 1575480084
New York State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou couldn't believe what she was reading.
"This killer wants to do what?!" said Niou.
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
George Zimmerman, the former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, is suing the victim's family, prosecutors, and the media for $100 million in damages.
Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Martin in 2013.
"Imagine killing an unarmed child and then suing his parents," tweeted Center for Policing Equity president Phillip Atiba Goff.
The lawsuit, which Zimmerman's lawyer Larry Klayman--a right-wing legal advocate--filed in Polk County Circuit Court in Florida Wednesday names Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, as the lead defendant. Fulton is running for Congress in Florida's District 1.
According to the Miami Herald:
The suit in Polk County Circuit Court cites information in a documentary about the case that accuses the Martin family of engineering false testimony, and the director has scheduled a press conference this week in Coral Gables to coincide with a film screening there. The suit seeks $100 million in civil damages, alleging defamation, abuse of civil process and conspiracy. A copy of the suit was distributed to media Wednesday by the movies' director, Joe Gilbert. The case does not yet appear on the online docket of the Polk court system.
Zimmerman, Klayman, and Gilbert will host a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Coral Gables Art Cinema.
Documentary filmmaker Billy Corben said in a tweet he was outraged at the cinema's involvement in what he called a "disgraceful sham."
\u201cShame on @gablescinema for hosting this disgraceful sham: George Zimmerman announces lawsuit against family of Trayvon Martin, publisher, prosecutors for $100 million with press conference and documentary screening at Coral Gables Art Cinema https://t.co/R2hOIjoVoN @mike23mena\u201d— Billy Corben (@Billy Corben) 1575480084
New York State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou couldn't believe what she was reading.
"This killer wants to do what?!" said Niou.
George Zimmerman, the former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012, is suing the victim's family, prosecutors, and the media for $100 million in damages.
Zimmerman was acquitted of murdering Martin in 2013.
"Imagine killing an unarmed child and then suing his parents," tweeted Center for Policing Equity president Phillip Atiba Goff.
The lawsuit, which Zimmerman's lawyer Larry Klayman--a right-wing legal advocate--filed in Polk County Circuit Court in Florida Wednesday names Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, as the lead defendant. Fulton is running for Congress in Florida's District 1.
According to the Miami Herald:
The suit in Polk County Circuit Court cites information in a documentary about the case that accuses the Martin family of engineering false testimony, and the director has scheduled a press conference this week in Coral Gables to coincide with a film screening there. The suit seeks $100 million in civil damages, alleging defamation, abuse of civil process and conspiracy. A copy of the suit was distributed to media Wednesday by the movies' director, Joe Gilbert. The case does not yet appear on the online docket of the Polk court system.
Zimmerman, Klayman, and Gilbert will host a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Coral Gables Art Cinema.
Documentary filmmaker Billy Corben said in a tweet he was outraged at the cinema's involvement in what he called a "disgraceful sham."
\u201cShame on @gablescinema for hosting this disgraceful sham: George Zimmerman announces lawsuit against family of Trayvon Martin, publisher, prosecutors for $100 million with press conference and documentary screening at Coral Gables Art Cinema https://t.co/R2hOIjoVoN @mike23mena\u201d— Billy Corben (@Billy Corben) 1575480084
New York State Assembly member Yuh-Line Niou couldn't believe what she was reading.
"This killer wants to do what?!" said Niou.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.