Zimmerman Found Not Guilty Of Murder And Manslaughter

NY Times: “Zimmerman Is Acquitted In Trayvon Martin Killing.” A July 13 New York Times article headlined “Zimmerman Is Acquitted In Trayvon Martin Killing,” reported that George Zimmerman, a man who shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, “was found not guilty late Saturday night of second-degree murder. He was also acquitted of manslaughter, a lesser charge.” [The New York Times, 7/13/13]

Civil Rights Activists Express Concern And Pledge Action In Response To Zimmerman Acquittal

Politico: Al Sharpton Plans A “Justice For Trayvon National Day Of Action.” In the wake of the Zimmerman acquittal, civil rights leader and MSNBC host Al Sharpton is advocating for a “Justice For Trayvon National Day Of Action” to occur on July 20. According to Politico, Sharpton's:

National Action Network is organizing the protests at federal court buildings to press the Justice Department to bring a civil rights case against George Zimmerman, who was found not guilty in the death of teenager Trayvon Martin by a Florida jury on Saturday.

Sharpton said his National Action Network intends to keep the pressure on until a civil rights case is brought, insisting the protests will show the national anger over the verdict is not a “two- or three-day” thing.  [Politico, 7/15/13]

Wash. Post: NAACP Circulates Petition Asking The Justice Department To Investigate Possible Civil Rights Violations In Martin's Killing. According to The Washington Post, the NAACP began circulating a petition requesting that the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate any possible civil rights violations committed by Zimmerman in his killing of Martin:

The NAACP began circulating a petition late Saturday asking Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to take action in the case as the group held its annual conference in Orlando.

“It is time for the Department of Justice to act,” the petition says. “The most fundamental of civil rights -- the right to life -- was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin.”

The Post reported that more than 1 million signatures had been collected by July 16. [The Washington Post, 7/14/13, 7/16/13]

Fox Smears Al Sharpton And NAACP As Race Hustlers And Racists 

Bill O'Reilly: NAACP And Others Expressing Race Based Civil Rights Concerns Are Part Of “The Grievance Industry.” In an appearance on Fox & Friends, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly accused the NAACP being a part of “the grievance industry” by highlighting a “minority controversy” like the killing of Trayvon Martin. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 7/17/13]

Steve Doocy: “The Whole Element Of The Race Hustlers Is Out There As Well.” On Fox & Friends, co-host Steve Doocy responded to a video of Fox guest Leo Terrell accusing people who questioned the Zimmerman acquittal of attempting to “hustle people” by claiming that “race hustlers” were “drumming up some tension across the country” and blaming them for examples of people allegedly assailing others in Trayvon Martin's name. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 7/17/13]

Juan Williams: Al Sharpton And Other “Race Hustlers” Are Out There To Prop Up Their Ratings. On Lou Dobbs Tonight, Fox News contributor Juan Williams suggested that the NAACP's petitioning of the government as action by “race hustlers” and dismissed Sharpton's march as an attempt to improve his ratings:

WILLIAMS: To me there are so many of these race hustlers out there, you know, and so many bad leaders, you know, I think they lead people down the garden path. They ignore the constant carnage in the black community, you know, the constant shootings -- you referred to the number of children killed in Chicago during the course of this trial. I think that you look at someone like Sharpton, I think he's pumping those numbers for his ratings or whatever. Yes, there is legitimate concern about injustice. Why is it the case that there's a dead child and no acknowledgement of that in terms of jury's action. Fine, I agree. But there is a larger issue here. And when you see the hustlers out there and you have to stop and just -- as you say -- I think you used the word, just, you know,  a burning scorn that you have Lou for this kind of behavior and I share it. [Fox Business, Lou Dobbs Tonight, 7/16/13]

Laura Ingraham: “The Justice Department Is Humoring The Race Hucksters” At The NAACP. During a Fox & Friends appearance, Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham suggested that the Justice Department is “humoring” “race hucksters” who are trying to “drum up their own relevance” and “elevate their own either political or economic positions.” On-screen text during the segment said that the NAACP and Trayon Martin's family are urging the Justice Department to act. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 7/16/13]

Eric Bolling: Race Baiters Like Al Sharpton Are Creating Outrage To Keep Their Jobs. During the July 15 edition of The Five, co-host Eric Bolling claimed that Al Sharpton and others were race baiting in order to keep their jobs and continue their relevance. A day later on The Five, Bolling blasted Sharpton as a racist. [Fox News, The Five, 7/15/13, 7/16/13]

Tucker Carlson: Civil Rights Leaders Like Al Sharpton And Jesse Jackson Are “Hustlers And Pimps Who Make A Living Off Inflaming Racial Tensions.” The morning after Zimmerman's acquittal, Fox News host Tucker Carlson said “people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton do not deserve to be called civil rights leaders. They are not. They are hustlers and pimps who make a living off inflaming racial tensions.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends Sunday, 7/14/13]