Trayvon Martin case, one month on: where are we now?

Four weeks after the shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida, no arrests have been made, and key questions remain unanswered

Monday marked the one-month anniversary of Trayvon Martin's killing. The unarmed black teenager was shot dead by neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman, who claims he shot the boy in self-defence under Florida's controversial "stand your ground" law. Zimmerman has not been arrested.

Four weeks on, the story continues to grip America as new details dribble out daily and questions remain unanswered. Click here for background on the case.

The latest details

• According to CBS News on Wednesday, the police investigation into Trayvon's death is "essentially starting from scratch". Police are re-interviewing witnesses and examining evidence. None of the witnesses have said they saw the beginning of the altercation. None said they saw the shot that ended it.

• Martin's parents have been in Washington the past two days, meeting with Democratic lawmakers and calling for the arrest of George Zimmerman. The family also met with justice department and the FBI, who have opened an investigation into potential civil rights violations.

• On March 27 ABC News reported that the lead homicide investigator of Trayvon Martin's killing recommended that Zimmerman be arrested and charged with manslaughter. The investigator, Chris Serino, filed an affidavit on the night of the killing that he did not believe Zimmerman's story. Serino was overruled by the state attorney's office.

• On March 26, a leaked copy of the account Zimmerman gave police was obtained by police, and paints for the first time a more detailed account of the events of February 26. According to documents obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, Zimmerman said Martin, who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, approached him from behind and asked him if he had a problem.

Zimmerman told police he said no. He said he began reaching for his cellphone when Martin replied: "Well, you do now", and then punched him in the face. Zimmerman claimed the teenager got on top and started slamming his head into the ground, prompting Zimmerman to shout for help. It was in the ensuing scuffle, Zimmerman said, that he shot Martin in the chest at close range. Police would not confirm or deny this account.

• 911 tapes of calls from neighbors caught cries for help that Zimmerman claims came from him. Martin's family are adamant they were Trayvon's. Police said Zimmerman's account was consistent with their evidence, according to the Sentinel.

• Also on March 26, Mother Jones reported that the Sanford police department confirmed that they have Zimmerman's gun in their evidence locker, but that nothing prevents Zimmerman from carrying other firearms unless he is charged with a violent crime.

• Lead prosecutor and veteran state attorney Angela Corey told ABC News that convicting Zimmerman, who has not been charged with any crime, won't be easy because of the stand your ground law.

• On March 22 Sanford police chief Bill Lee announced he was temporarily stepping down after a vote of no confidence in the Sanford police department by the city commission. In a publicly released Q&A with the city manager, Lee maintained that Zimmerman had not been arrested because of Florida's stand your ground law. "By Florida statute, law enforcement was prohibited from making an arrest based on the facts and circumstances they had at the time," Lee had written.

• Also on March 22, Florida governor Rick Scott announced that state attorney Norman Wolfinger, another key investigator tied to the case, agreed to withdraw, and lieutenant-governor Jennifer Carroll would lead a special new task force to prevent future tragedies.

• Martin's family met officials from the department of justice. A prominent defense attorney told the Guardian that "it would be a very difficult case for the prosecution without more evidence" than the 911 tapes.

A nationwide groundswell of support

• Illinois congressman Bobby Rush wore a hoodie on the house floor March 28 – and was escorted out of the chamber – while talking about racial profiling. Martin's parents told the Washington Post they were moved by the gesture.

• Chaka Khan, along with handful of musicians and actors, put together a remake of her track "Super Life" in honor of Martin's memory. In the video stars such as Kenny Lattimore, Angela Bassett and Terry Crews appear in hoodies.

• Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox pulled its Florida advertising campaign for a Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn comedy called Neighborhood Watch.

• Last weekend, prayer vigils were held in churches across America in Martin's memory. A number of preachers stood in hoodies in a sign of solidarity. At the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Eatonville, Florida, the Rev Jesse Jackson told a congregation that "the blood of the innocent has power."

• At a White House press conference on March 23, President Obama made his first remarks on the Trayvon Martin case, urging authorities to look into "every aspect" of the boy's death. Using deeply personal terms, he said, "If I had a son he'd look like Trayvon." The comments were condemned as "disgraceful" by Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker and current Republican presidential candidate: "Is the president suggesting that if it had been a white who'd been shot, that would be OK, because it wouldn't look like him?" he asked.

• "Hoodies on the Hill," a group of Capitol Hill staffers, rallied in support of Martin and a "Million Hoodie march" was place in Philadelphia, modeled after the earlier New York march. Thousands attended. Members of the Miami Heat basketball team dispatched Twitter pictures showing team members wearing hoodies in support of Martin.

• Also on March 23, roughly 50 schools in Florida stage walkouts to protest the killing and show support for a change.org petition demanding arrest of George Zimmerman. The online petition has since surpassed 2 million signatures.

• On March 22, thousands rallied in Sanford in an event organized by the Rev Al Sharpton to demand Zimmerman's arrest. Sanford police continue to accept Zimmerman's claim that the shooting was in self defense.

• The first Million Hoodie march was held on March 21 in New York City. Martin's parents described their heartache to a crowd of more than a thousand. "My son did not deserve to die," said Sybrina Fulton, Martin's mother. "Our son is your son."

Accusations of smears

• A Martin family attorney confirmed to the Miami Herald on March 27 that Trayvon Martin had been serving a suspension from his high school "because he was caught with an empty plastic bag with traces of marijuana in it."

Martin's family blamed Sanford police for leaking the information, and blamed the media for using it to victimize Trayvon all over again. "The only comment that I have right now is that they've killed my son, and now they're trying to kill his reputation," said his mother Sybrina Fulton at a televised news conference.

• On March 25 a right-leaning website called Twitchy ran a picture of George Zimmerman in a suit and tie next to what they claimed was a picture of Trayvon Martin with no shirt and sagging pants. The site, which is run by conservative pundit Michele Malkin, ran a correction after Eric Boehlert, senior fellow at the left-leaning organization Media Matters, tweeted a screenshot of the article.

• On March 23 Fox News contributor Geraldo Rivera triggered a furious backlash when he appeared to blame Martin for his own death because he was wearing a hoodie. "I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George Zimmerman was," he said. Fox host Bill O'Reilly agreed with him.

• On March 19, an article in The Blaze, the website started by former Fox News host Glenn Beck, ran an article which questioned why Martin was suspended for 10 days from school. The article's author, Mytheos Holt, went on to list all of the offenses which qualify for a 10-day suspension under the school district's policies. The Blaze article speculates that Martin could be guilty of armed robbery, arson, or even kidnapping. Martin had no arrest record.

Remaining questions

• Why hasn't Zimmerman been arrested? The lead homicide investigator of Trayvon Martin's killing initially recommended that Zimmerman be arrested and charged with manslaughter.

• Why did police not test Zimmerman for drugs and alcohol, even though they had tested Martin after his death?

• Why has Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon's mother, filed two applications for trademarks of the phrases, "I Am Trayvon" and "Justice for Trayvon," according to the Smoking Gun?

Contributor

Brian Braiker

The GuardianTramp

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