FICTION

Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin

Fulton, Sybrina & . 352p. Spiegel & Grau. Jan. 2017. Tr $26. ISBN 9780812997231.
COPY ISBN
RedReviewStarFour years after Trayvon Martin, a black teenager, was killed walking home by George Zimmerman, a white neighborhood watch coordinator with a gun, the teen's mother and father, in alternating chapters, share the devastating experience of losing a son to senseless violence: "We tell it in hope for healing, for bridging the divide that separates America." Evident throughout are Fulton's and Martin's anger and frustration with the way the case was handled by the Sanford (FL) Police Department, the makeup of the jury, the prosecution's weak performance, and the often outrageous behavior of the defense. Why was Zimmerman allowed to go home with evidence on his body? Why was Trayvon, but not Zimmerman, subjected to drug and alcohol tests? Why were there background checks on Trayvon but not on Zimmerman? Both parents also chronicle the numerous protest marches that propelled a national movement. Pointing out the blatant missteps they encountered, Fulton and Martin come across as caring and compassionate individuals who remain hopeful that their son will live on through their continued work with the Trayvon Martin Foundation.
VERDICT A well-told and gripping portrayal of the killing of a son and the subsequent legal process, with all its twists and turns.

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