Place that it came . How did it occupy everyone from the white house to the governors office. Rick scotts office here in florida to the appointment of the special prosecutor. How did it become and ben crump the family attorneys words the civil rights case of the 21st century. In my friend and colleague phil keating has been tracking it throughout. So tell us, brother, how did it describe this evolution from tragedy to political extravaganza . Really started very slowly and then a crescendo in the month of march of 2012. First a 17yearold black kid is shot and killed doing nothing wronging about through the neighborhood according to pair rens. The dad asking police why have you not arrested him, you know who it is, it is George Zimmerman. The Sanford Police said they didnt have enough evidence and probable cause. That is when they got ben crump the civil rights attorney up in tallahassee galvanized everybody and then get the girlfriend who says on the phone there was a guy that said wha
Give us an idea of whats happening there. Alina. Reporter well, michaela, protests here in sanford, florida have been very small and peaceful, unlike what weve seen in some other parts of the country. Overnight in new york city, in times square, there were thousands of people marching. In harlem we heard of a scuffle between police and protesters, a scuffle that resulted in some arrests. And in los angeles we heard of a march that turned violent after protesters started throwing batteries and rocks and chunks of cement in one area and then they blocked traffic on a freeway. Were told the lapd responded by throwing bean bags at demonstrators. And michaela, this is exactly what leaders here in sanford, florida and around the country have said they did not want to see. Sanford has been put in the spotlight for the past 17, 18 months. And we are in the process of now of opening up a new chapter, going in a new direction, learning from the things that have taken player, and seeing how we ca
If i put my mind to anything i could just do it. Ould j captioning sponsored by cbs ng sponsored by cbs this is the cbs evening news with scott pelley. Pelley good evening. Just about everyone in america has an opinion about the George Zimmerman case, but the only opinions that matter right now are those of six anonymous anen a jury that began bliberating his fate today. Zimmerman was a Neighborhood Watch coordinator in a gated community in sanford, florida, when he shot an unarmed black teenager to death last year 17 yearold Trayvon Martin. The case got the intention of the nation, including the president when the police did not arrest zimmerman, accepting instead his claim of self defense. Protesters claimed racial bias bi behind the shooting and the failure to prosecute. They pressured the state to tateg charges. Zimmerman is charged with Second Degree murder, but the jury may jnsider a lesser charge of manslaughter. Mark strassmann has been covering at the courthouse for us in sanf
But thats not who he was. Thats not where he was that night in his heart. After months of these people getting away, not tonight. Not this one. Trayvon martin may not have the defendants blood on his hands, but George Zimmerman will forever have Trayvon Martins blood on his. The day started with defense attorney mark omara presenting his Closing Arguments. He is a defendant. Maybe the fact the state Attorneys Office has decided to charge him, hes done something wrong. How many could have beens have you heard from the state . How many what ifs have you heard from the state in this case . How do you actually get to the level necessary for seconddegree murder when you dont know the person . Because this is the person and this is the person who George Zimmerman encountered that night. Thats cement. That is a sidewalk. And that is not an unarmed teenager with nothing but skittles trying to get home. Msnbcs craig melvin joins us live from outside the courthouse in sanford, florida. Craig, le
Well here we go on this thursday. Welcome to at this hour. Im ma kayla pereira. John berman is off. So much more at this hour. Cooler heads seem to be prevailing in ferguson, missouri. A short time ago attorney general eric holder spoke about his visit there. And about the investigation into Michael Browns death. The people of ferguson can have confidence in the federal agents, investigators and prosecutors who are leading this process. Our investigation will be fair, it will be thorough, and it will be independent. The National Outcry we have seen speaks to a sense of mistrust and mutual suspicion that can take hold in the relationship between Law Enforcement and certain communities. It would appear that on the streets of ferguson, things seem to be calming down. The latest protests overnight were more peaceful, a few minor disturbances. Only about six arrests. The relative calm could mean a shift in focus away from the fury and towards perhaps the facts and the forensics. A grand jur