Posted on 06/12/2013 3:57:43 PM PDT by Kaslin
As the George Zimmerman trail progresses with the selection of the jury, media has renewed its coverage of the issue which can at times border on obsessive. Last Friday night, Black Entertainment Television (BET) decided to throw their hat into the already incredibly crowded ring and provide their version of news coverage of the George Zimmerman trial and preceding events in a half-hour special entitled, Justice for Trayvon: Our Son Is Your Son. The title plays off of a quote by Trayvon’s mother Sybrina that was made at a rally in support of her son.
The entire controversy centers on the 2012 shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin by then neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman and the ensuing lawsuit by the state of Florida. The prosecution charged Zimmerman with murder in the second degree while he claims to have shot Martin in self-defense after being attacked by the teen.
The BET coverage of the issue was biased in favor of the young African-American teen and claimed that the shooting was racially motivated, that Trayvon was suspected of wrongdoing and subsequently shot simply because of this race. The programming continuously showed coverage of Trayvon’s parents and their national campaign to proclaim their son’s complete innocence in the court of public opinion.
BET ‘News’ Special Has Already Convicted Zimmerman
The show also included several taped interviews conducted by former newscaster Emmett Miller with their lawyer, and even celebrity actor Jamie Foxx who showed their support of the prosecution and belief in the guilt of George Zimmerman. The brief interview with Zimmerman’s attorney Mark O’Mara seemed to be extremely edited as to not include any substantial support of Zimmerman’s actions that night and even included questioning of Zimmerman’s credibility in his own defense.
This special serves to perfectly represent exactly what the coverage of this issue should not be. Coverage should not be geared toward convincing the public of the guilt or innocence of one side or the other prior to the trial being held. This only contributes to the inability of the case to find unbiased jurors to fairly decide the fate of George Zimmerman and causes the public to jump to conclusions about what side they support while only being exposed to very few concrete facts in the case.
If coverage of the issue must continue in the media, it should be presented in as unbiased a manner as possible. Instead of showing gratuitous coverage of supporters of Martin with very little coverage of the other side of the issue, as the BET special did, the media needs to present the facts of the case along with any pertinent developments in the case and then to step back and allow the public to decide their opinions on the case for themselves as the trial progresses. This sentiment also should apply to people who may support Zimmerman. References that might imply either side’s guilt or innocence should be tabled in the media which will allow the facts in the case to speak for themselves.
Some people have already acquitted him.
By BET and Ben Crump rules, not only was George Zimmerman not supposed to defend himself the night of the incident against a raging thug, but he is also not permitted to defend himself in the courtroom against the raging thug Ben Crump there.
What if the jury brings back a not guilty verdict?
***************
Or a hung jury... Will the DA continue with another attempt?
This is nothing more than a Black Ku Klux Klan lynching
These same BKKK racists would riot if there was a White Entertainment Television
“the young African-American teen”
O;d enough to enlist in the Armed Forces, if mom or dad signs off.
Why is anyone surprised..its BET, to them, Trayvon is a hero who should be worshipped..for BET, all blacks are victims who deserve to get whatever they can get from the white man
Are you out of your mind? You want me to watch PMSNBC
I rather watch the wall dry
I’m surprised that Rep. Johnson hasn’t also accused Zimmerman of plotting to capsize Guam. It would fit with Zimmerman’s obvious hatred of people of color. </s>
If it’s a not guilty verdict? Hmmmmm.....opportunities!
Riots. Lots of them. And I for one couldn’t care less. Let Justice be done. Let Zimmerman be acquired on grounds of self-defense (barring actual evidence to the contrary, which does not exist or we would know about it).
Hoodies.
I’m shocked he had diapers in there! LOL.
>> “Some people have already acquitted him.” <<
.
I have, haven’t you?
.
And no TV or stereo!
How could I have?
Used to get great pleasure watching Keith Olbermann’s head explode. That was always good for a few laughs.
Save the ammo you have, you might need it!
this case was nifonged long ago.
The Florida Bar is missing in action over this misconduct.
I just hope some duty aware conservatives are in the 500 people jury pool.
Who owns those stores?
Probably not the same group as those rioting.
By using your head.
Every supposed speck of “evidence” against him has collapsed. They have no motive, they have nothing.
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