George Zimmerman Lawsuit Against Trayvon Martin’s Parents Thrown Out By Judge
A lawsuit filed by George Zimmerman against the parents of Trayvon Martin, accusing them of defamation and conspiracy, was dismissed by a Florida judge on Monday (Feb. 14).
According to the Associated Press, Florida Circuit Court Judge John Cooper threw out the lawsuit against Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, as well as their family attorney Benjamin Crump and Harper Collins, which published his book, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored Peoplet\.
Zimmerman, 38, accused the Martin family and Crump of engineering false testimony with information allegedly included in a documentary about the case, according to the Miami Herald reports. The suit stated that all defendants “have worked in concert to deprive Zimmerman of his constitutional and other legal rights” and attempted to “destroy his goodwill and reputation in the community.”
Cooper said in an order filed more than two weeks ago that Zimmerman failed to show “any fraudulent representation” and “there can be no claim for conspiracy to defraud if there is no adequately stated claim for fraud.”
Zimmerman’s case drew worldwide attention and served as a precursor to many high profile cases of police violence and civilian vigilantism toward Black people when he shot Martin, on Feb. 26, 2012. Martin, 17, was in Sanford, Fla., visiting his father from Miami when he encountered Zimmerman, who suspected that he was a burglar. The two engaged in a struggle and Zimmerman fired his weapon at the teen, killing him. Martin was unarmed.
At his 2013 trial, Zimmerman claimed he acted in self-defense, and was acquitted of all charges.
