In an exclusive interview on "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien," Trayvon Martin's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin say that the "Stand Your Ground" law needs to be fixed, and George Zimmerman's wife Shellie Zimmerman's perjury charge shows her "intentions were to hide things."
Fulton and Martin were on "Starting Point" to discuss the first meeting of the "Stand Your Ground" Task Force, set up by Florida Gov. Rick Scott, to review the state's law. Zimmerman has repeatedly claimed he was acting in self-defense when he shot 17-year-old Trayvon on Feb. 26th, and legal experts pointed to the state's "Stand Your Ground" law as possibly granting him immunity in the case.
"I'm not opposed to the law," Fulton says. "I just think they need to take a look at the law...and really fix it."
Attorney Benjamin Crump says that the law encourages vigilantism, and an amendment is needed to clarify the law. "You can't initiate a confrontation and then say 'I was standing my ground,'" Crump says.
Soledad asks Tracy Martin about his new initiative to enlist dads across the country to repeal "Stand Your Ground" laws in their states. He says he's continuing Trayvon's legacy through this work, and he has to continue to spearhead this initiative.
"I fell that I have to stay out in front, and make sure this reaches the heart of America just to be that leader for the dads out there that don't have a voice right now," Martin says.
The family also responded to the arrest of George Zimmerman's wife Shellie, who was charged with perjury for lying about the couple's finances during her husband's April bond hearing. A review of bank records shows Shellie moved $74,000 from her husband's account into her own just a few days before that hearing.
"The court system was betrayed...[Shellie Zimmerman's] intentions were to hide things," Martin says.
See more from the interview in the clips below.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertise with us | About us | Help | Advertising Practices
They are right to ask us to do this. I am behind them 100% The law needs to be changed.
Notice how the looney left want to ban everything instead of taking responsibility for themselves and their children. Bottom line: If these people had been this interested in raising their son, he probably would not have attacked an armed man and got dealt with in such an appropriate manner.
Beautiful. Love and respect them dearly.