*In an effort to bring an end to the controversial Stand Your Ground laws nationwide, The
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence has put out a video reenactment of the night
Trayvon Martin was killed.
The nonprofit group uses the actual audio from the 911 calls that both
George Zimmerman
and a witness phoned in that night. People are depicted in hoodies
lying on the ground after the sound of a gunshot is heard. The names are
displayed of the more than 20 states that have Stand Your Ground laws
in place.
The group has also launched a
website and a petition asking people to urge their state lawmakers to “oppose this immoral legislation.”
“‘Stand Your Ground’ laws have essentially legalized murder. With
this PSA, we hope to add to the nationwide push to repeal these immoral
laws,” said CSGV Communications Director Ladd Everitt.
The Stand Your Ground law allows a person to use deadly force as a
means of self-defense, with no obligation to first attempt to retreat.
After the Zimmeran shooting of Martin in February 2012, who was an
unarmed African-American teenager, the laws received national attention
and much protest.
Zimmerman wasn’t arrested initially because he used the law as
justification for killing Martin. He was eventually tried and last month
received a not guilty verdict of second-degree murder and manslaughter.
National Rifle Association stood in support of the Stand Your Ground
law and the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, which
lost some of its corporate backers after its role in pushing Stand Your
Ground laws came to light.
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