The killing of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman has been the number one story in the media for the past couple weeks. As thousands continue to demonstrate across the country, calling for justice, more information regarding what happened that night and the subsequent investigation are made public. Here are the latest developments:
● The FBI has launched a “parallel investigation” being overseen by a special prosecutor that will seek to determine if there was a civil rights violation. Agents are in Sanford, FL interviewing witnesses and gather new information in order to establish whether Martin’s death was racially motivated.
● Two forensic experts have concluded that it is not Zimmerman’s voice heard crying for help on the now infamous 911 tape. The Orlando Sentinel contacted Tom Owen, forensic consultant for Owen Forensic Services LLC and chairman emeritus of the American Board of Recorded Evidence, who used voice-identification software that was able to rule out Zimmerman’s voice as the source of those screams. Ed Primeau, a Michigan-based audio engineer and forensics expert, relied on human analysis, enhanced audio, and years of experience to determine it was a young man’s voice. With no audio comparison available, neither confirm definitively whether it is Martin’s voice.
● On the night of the shooting, rescue workers cancelled a second ambulance, presumably for Zimmerman, as revealed in newly released recordings from the fire rescue dispatch. This seemingly contradicts the story of Zimmerman suffering severe injuries due to having his head bashed into the sidewalk, as his family and lawyer have maintained are what took place that night.
● Attorney Hal Uhrig has joined Zimmerman’s legal defense team. The veteran criminal defense attorney and former Florida Assistant Attorney General is Zimmerman’s second lawyer, Craig Sonner being the other. Neither has ever met Zimmerman.
● Sonner has said they are preparing for trial and that Zimmerman will turn himself in if he is charged in Martin’s killing. The attorney told Reuters, “However it goes, he’s not hiding from the authorities. If he is asked, he will turn himself in. There’s not going to be a manhunt or anything like that.”
But perhaps the most important update is this: George Zimmerman still has not been arrested.
