The Political Freakshow

Today’s Updates in the Trayvon Martin Case (4/2/12)

Trayvon Martin’s parents asked the Department of Justice to launch a federal probe on the prosecutor that recused himself from the Martin investigation. Trayvon’s parents allege that the prosecutor met with Sanford police merely hours after Trayvon’s death and together overruled the recommendation of Zimmerman being charged with manslaughter. The prosecutor, Norm Wolfinger, alleges that Trayvon’s parents are lying. [Trib.com]
George Zimmerman’s attorney, Craig Sonner, said today that if Zimmerman is charged with Trayvon’s murder, he will 100% surrender to police authorities and will comply with the law. His attorney also stated that he would turn himself in. [Reuters]
One of Trayvon Martin’s cousins will appear on Nancy Grace’s show tonight, stating that he thinks that it’s his cousin’s voice screaming for help on the 911 tape. The cousin stated that he knew how his cousin sounded on and off the telephone, and he believes without a doubt that it is Trayvon screaming for help. [Nancy Grace]
The FBI has launched its own investigation into the events surrounding the death of Trayvon Martin. They are conducting a “parallel investigation” in the case. They are determining whether race did or did not play a factor in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. [The Daily Beast]
In an enhanced version of the Sanford Police surveillance video given exclusively to ABC News, marks clearly appear on Zimmerman’s head that hint at his self-defense claims being backed up by evidence. Previously, Trayvon’s parent’s attorney stated that the video was a “smoking gun” that Trayvon’s death was racially motivated, while Zimmerman’s attorney stated that the grainy image quality of the video was too inconclusive to find Zimmerman guilty. [ABC News]
If George Zimmerman is arrested, indicted, convicted, and sentenced in the death of Trayvon Martin, the homeowners of the Retreat at Twin Lakes would more than likely have to pay the family of Trayvon Martin in a civil lawsuit. Because George Zimmerman was a volunteer at the residential development and a paying member of the homeowners association, each and every member of the HOA would have to pay thousands of dollars in verdicts and legal fees to the family of Trayvon Martin. Homeowners association law allows for families of crime victims to sue HOA’s if they are found to have negligibly contributed to the events of the crime. [Los Angeles Times]
A Los Angeles man is seeking to trademark Trayvon Martin’s name to use in the creation of hooded sweatshirts in support of finding justice in the case. Trayvon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, has already filed paperwork with the US Patent and Trademark Office to get Trayvon’s name trademarked. I feel that the mother is cashing in on the death of her son, but only to help raise money to take Zimmerman to court if local, state, and federal authorities do not press charges against Zimmerman. [The Smoking Gun]