Rep. Johnson urges DOJ to investigate murder of Trayvon Martin as hate crime

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) joined the chairs of the Congressional Black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific American and Progressive Caucuses calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, urging them to pursue the matter as a federal hate crime:

In a letter signed by 14 Judiciary Committee colleagues, Rep. Johnson calls on Attorney General Eric Holder to “review the shooting death of Trayvon Martin as a hate crime as the shooter, George Zimmerman, may have been motivated by racial animus when the crime was committed.”

“In the absence of action by local authorities in Sanford, Florida, the Justice Department needs to step in to uphold the integrity of our justice system and confront this horrific crime,” said Johnson. “It appears that Trayvon was targeted simply because of the color of his skin. It’s chilling to think that a young Black man was gunned down just for walking through a neighborhood while the shooter remains free and uncharged for nearly a month. This is an injustice where Trayvon gets killed for walking while Black yet the shooter gets to walk home a free man. I am outraged as a father to a young Black male, only a few years older than Trayvon, and I will personally work to bring justice for the senseless killing.”

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