A few hundred people rallied at Paul Quinn College this afternoon – calling for “justice for Trayvon Martin, the unarmed teenager shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida. KERA’s BJ Austin was at the South Dallas event.
Rose Miller drove to the rally from Fairfield, south of Corsicana. She says she made the hour and a half trip for her children – especially her two sons.
Miller: And it’s done touched my kids in a way that I could never imagine.
Reporter: How old are your boys?
Miller: They’re 11 and 12. And my little girl made a very disturbing comment. I got to re-talk to her about it. You know it’s not about you should stop liking white people, but this is what it’s getting to ‘cause they’re seeing this, you know. And I hate it so bad.
Alcedric Todd brought his 14 year old son to the rally.
Todd: And I came here with my son to pledge my support and show that I’m not going to quiet. I’m not going to rest until justice is served.
Shiniqua West says when she saw a picture of Trayvon Martin, she broke down because it looked so much like her 15 year old son. She says she’s looking for more information to try to make sense of it all.
West: It’s very disturbing and people are confused. And I haven’t heard a comment from Zim … the guy.
George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer claims he shot Trayvon Martin in self defense under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.
State Senator Royce West told the rally Zimmerman was not “standing his ground” when he pursued Trayvon Martin against the directive of the 9-1-1 operator who told him not to.
Senator West says he intends to ask the Lt. Governor to have the Criminal Justice Committee take another look at this state’s Castle Doctrine, which allows the use of deadly force to protect one’s home and property.
West: I think that anytime we have a castle-type-doctrine shooting in this country, there ought to be an investigation, there should be an investigation – bar none.
Senator West urged the crowd to pump up the volume on the call for a thorough investigation of the Trayvon Martin shooting.
