How Do I Explain Martin Verdict to My Kids?

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(Cross-posted from New America Media)
After the verdicts were read, my eight year old son had seen my anger and asked “why did Zimmerman kill Trayvon?” Thinking of all that I heard, read and saw through the three weeks of trial, I said to him “I don’t know for sure, but I think because he is racist.”
The facts that are undisputed are that George Zimmerman profiled, followed and tracked down, shot and killed, 17-year old Trayvon Martin. As the slew of texts, tweets and Facebook messages streamed in from fellow angry friends and colleagues, I sat there furious, disappointed and frustrated.
The feeling was also strange. I’ve spent most of my career trying to help people and change systems so that there is less incarceration. But here I was wanting nothing more than for Zimmerman to be convicted and locked up. Although I’ve spent several years of my career as a law enforcement official, the sole reason I got into government was to reform the system that is broken. And now the country, and indeed the world, is again seeing how broke America’s criminal justice system really is. Even though the prosecution was thoroughly out-lawyered by the defense, there appeared to be more than enough evidence to convict. A teenage boy was murdered and the shooter was not held responsible.
This summer, I have been having my children watch the ground breaking PBS “Eyes on the Prize” series. The night before the Zimmerman verdicts, we watched the last episode which featured the story of Arthur McDuffie. McDuffie was a military veteran and successful black businessman who was stopped by the Miami police, beaten and kicked to death for no reason. Although clear and convincing evidence was presented to an all-white male jury of the murder of McDuffie, including the testimony of other officers at the scene, the three white officers were found not guilty. Miami was engulfed in riots.
After my two teenage daughters said they didn’t have much familiarity with the Rodney King case when I mentioned it in connection to McDuffie, we watched an hour of YouTube footage of the Rodney King beating, the acquittal of the officers and the unfortunate riots that ensued. My 16-year old daughter said to me “1980 in Miami was the same as 1992 in Los Angeles.” Though Zimmerman was just a wanna-be cop, we can now add 2013 in Sanford, Florida.
My eldest daughter and I have been planning to see the new movie “Fruitvale Station.” The story is of a young black man shot and murdered by a transit police officer. Even with clear video evidence of Oscar Grant being shot and killed while he lay face down, not moving, on a train platform, white officer Johannes Mehserle was only convicted of involuntary manslaughter and spent less than a year in prison.
The timing was ironic and painful. We had just seen the story of McDuffie and Rodney King. We were headed to watch the story of Oscar Grant and we were now experiencing the story of Trayvon Martin.
Now, like many black parents across the country, I struggle with what to tell my son. A son whose whole life he has known his father primarily to be a law enforcement official. A son who has said he is interested in being a police officer. And like many parents, I have to have “that talk” with my son. The talk about Emmett Till, Arthur McDuffie, Rodney King, Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, and countless other black men who have been beaten and killed by white authorities.
I will tell my son to be encouraged that a black man is the president of the United States, but also know and understand that the murder of a young black man still can’t get justice.
David Muhammad is the CEO of Solutions, Inc, consulting firm. He is the former Chief Probation Officer of Alameda County Probation and the former Deputy Commissioner of New York City Probation.

0 thoughts on “How Do I Explain Martin Verdict to My Kids?

  1. Where was the outrage when other killers had their charges dismissed here in Florida?
    Check out Judge Beth Bloom in Miami. I’ve seen video footage where she freed two men under the Stand Your Ground law.
    The first was a man who saw someone trying to steal his car radio. He grabbed a kithen knifeand chased the thief for more than a block. When the thief stopped, the killer stabbed him. The thief staggered to the sidewalk where he bled to death. This was caught on a security camera. When found, the killer denied all knowledge of the death before eventually confessing. The defense lawyer said the magic words and the judge dismissed the charges. But both men had Hispanic names.
    The second was about two relatives. The killer called 911 and said that he thought his relative had committed suicide. Not so, since he couldn’t very well have stabbed himself multiple times, including his back. The killer denied any involvment. In court, the defense lawyer said the magic words and the charges were dismissed. No real Americans involved, though.
    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/03/22/149153379/stand-your-ground-miami-judge-decides-fatal-stabbing-was-self-defense
    http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/21/2706789/miami-judge-stabbing-in-the-back.html

  2. Why don’t you explain to your kids that in America, everyone (even if they are Hispanic) has the right to a trial where they can confront their accusers, present evidence of their innocence, and their fate be decided by a jury of their peers, all under the guidance of a Judge who explains the Law. Explain to them that is true even when the media has reported only the viewpoint of the demonstrators. Explain that it’s necessary to avoid punishment being meted out under the emotional stress of a lynch mob who is not aware of the evidence.

  3. Wayne, So glad you think the American system of “justice” is working perfectly. As a 61 year-old white male I am more than outraged. Your smugness sickens me. Go ahead and celebrate racism. You have every right to express your opinion, unlike Trayvon Martin.

    • That is precious coming from an anti Semite such as your self. I may not agree with the verdict, but I will not rubber stamp it as racist. The prosecution left enough doubt to render the verdict.

  4. Believe me, any person any time (not only minorities) can have their due process rights silenced and justice denied them. If there is a vendetta/retribution involved, that person will experience an unending, horrific nightmare that will lead to a slow, tragic death. The immediate crisis in the present-day American Justice System is that Blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately beaten up, charged, convicted, imprisoned and executed at an alarming rate in our society. Go to “www.Southern Poverty Law Center.org” (SPLC) to learn more about this crisis in America.
    In my opinion, until we learn understanding and empathy for “the other”, the system will not change. When people learn how to put themselves in the shoes of another person, and then act on that compassion in a positive way, they are developing empathy. Examples of using empathic skills in the Trayvon/Zimmerman case: Put yourself in Trayvon’s place. You are walking along minding your own business when a stalking gunman confronts you, but according to the verdict, you can’t ‘stand your ground’ and defend yourself, you’re supposed to run away; however, the stalker with the gun, according to this law, is allowed to ‘stand his ground’, stop you and eventually kill you for defending yourself. He doesn’t have to run away to prevent the killing. Using empathic skills: How does the killing of Trayvon make you feel? What positive actions do you plan to take to change (repeal) the ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law, and find some justice for Trayvon Martin’s senseless death? If all of us would repeatedly practice empathic skills, eventually they would become internalized, and our justice system and society would start moving in a more positive Light.

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