Although murder cases normally do not affect individuals besides to those directly involved, the death of Trayvon Martin benefited from massive public attention. The young Afro-American male died in February 2012 in Sanford, Florida. He was shot to death by a neighborhood watch leader named George Zimmerman while visiting his father in the area. The shooting had no obvious reason, yet Zimmerman had not been officially charged. Some individuals interested in the case believed the only reason why Martin had to die was his African origin. They also started making comparisons between this case and that of Rodney King.

Rodney King, the black motorist brutally beaten by four police officers twenty years ago became popular after the policemen were acquitted of all charged by the jury, although there was consistent evidence of abuse of power. The verdict resulted in massive public protests which lasted for six days. 53 people lost their lives during the riot, thousands were injured and the financial losses reached $1 billion.

The supporters of Trayvon Martin also organized a public protest which fortunately was peaceful. They demanded the arrest of Zimmerman and justice for the victim’s family. However some members of the New Black Panthers went further, putting out a bounty for the arrest of Zimmerman. Due to public pressure Zimmerman finally turned himself in and was charged with second degree murder. The minimum penalty for such a sentence is minimum 19 years in prison. But Zimmerman pleaded not guilty, and a $150,000 bail has been established after which he was released from jail until the trial. The public opinion was again unsatisfied with the decision and the police had to put Zimmerman in protective custody to ensure his safety.

Although Martin’s family and community members are anxiously waiting for the trial, nobody knows how it will end. The criminal defense attorney representing Zimmerman thinks the case of his client and that of Rodney King are very different. Zimmerman has not been accused of abuse of power and his actions were not caught on tape to be used against him. Besides that there are several details that right activists do not want to consider but they can make a jury take a different verdict. For example Zimmerman was legally entitled to carry a gun and to ask Martin about his intentions in the neighborhood. His statement of self defense might also stand as he was showing signs of physical aggression when the police arrived at the scene. The major accusation brought against Zimmerman that of racism can also hardly be proven: he had no previous actions to prove such an attitude and besides that he also comes from a multiracial family. So the jury’s verdict and Zimmerman’s future remain unpredictable.