Beacon Hill honors Trayvon Martin

BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera of Springfield led colleagues in the Massachusetts State House Wednesday to observe a moment of silence in honor of Trayvon Martin, a Florida teen who was stalked, shot and killed by a self-proclaimed neighborhood watch captain.

“It’s appalling that Trayvon, going home, with a bag of skittles, was followed by a man twice his size, with a weapon, and gunned down,” said Rep. Cheryl Coakley Rivera.  “And [the killer is] trying to say that Trayvon was the aggressor,”

“There’s definitely a race issue here,” remarked Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield).  “In the African-America Community, this is an issue that they have lived with, you know, for generations.  That they are concerned about their sons on being looked at differently and treated differently.”

Trayvon’s killer, George Zimmerman, claims his actions were made in self-defense under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, a law that is also being proposed in Massachusetts.

“What happened in Florida is tragic and sad, and quite honestly hasn’t been fully vetted yet,” said Sen. Stephen Brewer (D-Barre). “But that being said, we all support peace, but not peace with surrender, we need to be able to have an ability to stand our ground.”

Senator Brewer said with rising incidents of iphone and ipad theft, people should have a right to defend themselves without facing civil litigation, but several lawmakers holding vigil outside the House chambers said that would be an invitation for trouble.

“I think it can be used in very dangerous and pernicious ways,” said Rep. Ellen Story (D-Amherst).

“Ok, now if there was an altercation, it takes two to tango,” said Rep. Denise Andrews (D-Orange).  “If you and I get into an altercation, we may have a bad day, but do I get to take out a gun and kill you?   I don’t think so.”

Governor Deval Patrick expressed compassion and solidarity with Trayvon Martin’s family and suggested that people support a bill that requires police chiefs to file reports on racial profiling as a way honor his memory.