Robert Zimmerman Jr. Defends George Zimmerman: 'Trayvon Martin Was Armed' (VIDEO)
Amidst efforts to improve George Zimmerman's image, Robert Zimmerman Jr. has come forward in multiple interviews to assert that his brother is not racist.
A large focus on race has been placed on the George Zimmerman case, but according to Robert Zimmerman, the older brother, race had nothing to do with it. Instead, he says his brother is a good person.
"It's a reality that some people don't respect this verdict and think they want to take justice into their own hands," Robert Zimmerman said in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan.
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Robert Zimmerman claimed that he has been the front for multiple attacks on social media. He can't image what it will be like for his brother.
"They're on my Twitter feed. I get hate emails saying 'I wish someone would blow up your family with grenades' [and] 'I will find you on the streets,'" he said. "That's just [at me] ... there's no way, really, to direct those threats at George, I guess because he doesn't have right now a social media presence."
But despite protests and a highly publicized case, Robert Zimmerman has said that race "wasn't an element" when Trayvon Martin was killed. Instead, Zimmerman blames that perception on the media- particularly NBC. The news station publicly apologized last year for editing a police recording before playing it for the public.
In the initial recording Zimmerman states: "This guy looks like he's up to no good … he looks black."
In the full recording however, Zimmerman was asked to describe Martin's skin color.
Recording:
Zimmerman: "This guy looks like he's up to no good. Or like he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about."
911 dispatcher: "OK, and this guy ... is he black, white or Hispanic?"
Zimmerman: [pauses] "He looks black."
Robert Zimmerman's efforts to win the public however have not been met with positive reception. Instead of attempting reconciliation, Zimmerman appeared to further fuel controversy over the situation.
"Trayvon Martin WAS armed," he said in an NPR interview. "He used the sidewalk against my brother's head. He had whatever anger he brought with him when he confronted George and broke his nose. …He had something within him that he wouldn't let up, his relentless attack despite George screaming for help. So he was not unarmed, and I really take exception to that notion."
Speaking on CNN he said: "I want to know what makes people angry enough to attack someone the way Trayvon Martin did."
Controversy continued on Monday as protestors continued to push for a petition that requests the Department of Justice to file additional charges against George Zimmerman. The petition states that Zimmerman violated Martin's rights as a citizen.
