An
Open Letter
 The
following is an open letter to the father of Trayvon
Martin, written by journalist Greg Palast:
Dear Mr. Martin,
I have a 16-year old son. I cannot imagine losing him
because some beast decided to play Lone Ranger.
And so, with cautious humility, I make this suggestion,
this plea.
Sue the beast. You must.
I understand you are reluctant to launch another painful
trial of uncertain outcome and cost, monetary and emotional.
And I know a money judgment won't bring your son home.
But imagine this: George Zimmerman gets a half-million-dollar
book deal and $25,000 a pop to appear at gun shows -
plus a fee to put his name on a 9mm semi-automatic. The
'Zimmerman Protector.'
There's only one way to put this monster out of business:
Justice can only come out of the barrel of a lawsuit.
Only in a lawsuit can you force Zimmerman to the witness
stand. That's crucial. In the criminal case, Zimmerman's
daddy, a magistrate no less, could say it was poor George
yelling for help on that desperate phone call.
In a civil action, your son's lawyer can say to Zimmerman, "Come
on, George, let's hear you scream for help. George, let's
hear you scream that this skinny kid is going to kill
you. Come on, George, show us how Trayvon somehow grabbed
your big fat head while he was taking the gun from your
hand."
A federal indictment won't do that: Zimmerman can't be
called as a witness in a criminal case. A federal trial
won't disgrace Zimmerman nor stop him from getting rich
off your son's corpse.
A civil trial has none of that "reasonable doubt" crap
that can get Zimmerman off the hook with some fantasy
story about Trayvon as the dangerous aggressor. Zimmerman's
consigliere said it was Trayvon’s own fault he
was murdered. The “decision [to get shot] was in
Trayvon Martin's hands more than my client's.” Do
you want that to be the last word about your son?
Maybe you don't want the money. OK, then: Set up a foundation
and make Zimmerman turn over all that blood money, those
book deals and gun show fees, to the Trayvon Foundation.
Make him work every day of his lousy life for Trayvon.
There’s another advantage to civil action. To be
blunt, you won't have to rely on painfully befuddled
prosecutors like the ones we witnessed in that courtroom.
In a lawsuit, you can choose the best legal gunslingers
in the country.
I'm not guessing about that. I asked fearsome Florida
trial lawyer Mike Papantonio if he and his partner, civil
rights attorney Bobby Kennedy Jr., would take on the
case if called. Papantonio said his firm is standing
by, ready to help your legal team if asked. And I have
no doubt there are other great plaintiff lawyers who
would leap to your cause.
Americans love to complain that there are "too many
lawyers." I agree that if some corporate defense
lawyers drown in their hot tubs, only their mothers should
cry. But it is our unique system of tort law that gives
Americans the true Hammer of Justice. Plaintiff lawsuits,
even more than government agencies or the FBI, are what
keep drug companies from poisoning us and keep dangerous
toys from maiming our kids. And, using section 1983 of
the federal civil rights statute, it’s the power
of the plaintiffs’ bar that stops racist jerks
from denying jobs, mortgages and freedoms to people of
color.
And there's one final reason to bring a civil action.
Let the word go forth to any Zimmerman wannabe dreaming
that wealth and admiration requires only their hunting
down another dark-skinned kid in a hoodie: Maybe sick
Florida law will keep you out of prison, but you will
have your sorry ass dragged onto a witness stand, where
you will be ripped up, ruined and busted for the rest
of your life.
So I'm asking you, as one dad to another, stand your
ground and sue this killer - for Trayvon and for all
our kids.
With respect,
Greg Palast
=Lefty=
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