For the first time since that fateful night on February 26, the father of a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager sat down for a television interview.
For the first time since that fateful night on February 26, the father of a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager sat down for a television interview.
Sanford Police have released the 911 calls placed on the night of a fatal shooting which took the life of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
WARNING: Graphic language in calls above (scroll to see multiple clips)
Martin's parents arrived at Sanford City Hall to listen to the recordings which police had previously refused to release. Officials first allowed the family to hear the recordings before making them public. Martin's parents previously sued to have the recordings released. A hearing for the case had been scheduled for Monday.
The first recording is a non-emergency call placed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who said he shot Martin in an act of self-defense. His call was placed moments before the shooting. The subsequent seven calls were placed during and after the shooting.
Martin's parents were too devastated to talk to us after listening to the recordings, but their attorneys say the calls prove that there's enough evidence to make an arrest.
"What you hear on that tape is shocking," it is riveting. You hear this cries for help," said attorneys Ben Crump.
"The most shocking thing to me is you hear a shot, a warning shot. Then you hear a 17-year-old boy begging for his life, and then you hear another shot," said attorney. Natalie Jackson.
Crump said these 911 calls prove that this wasn't self defense by neighborhood watch capt George Zimmerman.
"You don't hear interaction between Trayvon and Mr. Zimmerman as the police suggested," said Crump.
Jackson added, "The police department decided to replace justice with a pr strategy to make themselves look better this is an insult to this family. This was not self defense, this was not manslaughter this was murder."
Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett is calling for an independent review by the Department of Justice. "Just review where we stand and what we've done. Make sure everything has been reviewed properly have a third set of eyes on it."
Police Chief Bill Lee didn't want to comment on the release of the recordings on Friday but has said he conducted a fair investigation. Earlier in the week, he said there wasn't enough evidence to arrest Zimmerman.
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