The Eastern Region of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. is conducting talks to call for the end of the “Stand Your Ground” law.

The Fraternity is issuing a call to action following the acquittal of George Zimmerman.

A jury, comprised of six women, deliberated for more than 16 hours before finding Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

J.R. Reeves, Eastern Regional Director of Social Action for the Fraternity, wrote a letter in response to the verdict of George Zimmerman:

Brothers of the Mighty Eastern Region, the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case is a travesty of justice on many levels. This must be a wake up call for the men of Sigma in the Eastern Region. We will take action and not let Treyvon Martins’ murder be in vain.

While we recognize that our justice system is not perfect we also know that as minorities, we face a judicial system in which judgments are rendered unfavorably in disproportionate numbers against us. On that rainy evening of February 26, 2012 when Treyvon Martin was murdered, the lives of many have been forever changed. To many of us legal laymen the verdict simply makes no sense. There is the rule of logic and then there is the rule of law. How does a person who makes a conscious decision after being told by authorities to stay in their car and not follow a “suspicious person” suddenly claim that he was afraid and then kill Trayvon only to be acquitted? Research shows that the jury in the Martin case had three (3) choices:

Find Zimmerman guilty of second degree murder

Jury has to believe that the killing was “done from ill will, hatred or spite or an evil intent” and would be “of such a nature that the act itself indicates an indifference to human life”

Find Zimmerman guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter
Jury has to believe Zimmerman “intentionally committed an act or acts that caused the death of Treyvon Martin.”

Find Zimmerman not guilty

This case brings about a myriad of emotions for lots of reasons. When there is a child that looks like many of us, or that looks like our children – it resonates. When there is an unarmed child murdered, a part of each of us as men of Sigma, as fathers, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, cousins…even as mentors and role models – a part of us died with Trayvon.

We cannot allow this to continue. There will be protests, commentary and this case will be analyzed for its legal merit alongside many other ‘high profile’ cases. However to us as the Eastern Region of Sigma the case must mean much more. It must be the impetus to social ACTION. A call to ACTION.

We must join the cause to help remove the so called “stand your ground” laws across the nation. We must also work to help enact stronger provisions before the approval of Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) permits.

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