George Zimmerman may have been cleared of all charges, but New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg used the trial to advance his own anti-gun agenda anyway, pointing to “the tragic death of Trayvon Martin” as proof positive of the need for more regulations.
His statement, The New York Post reported: “One face has long been crystal clear: ’Shoot first’ laws, like those in Florida, can inspire dangerous vigilantism and protect those who act recklessly with guns. Such laws, drafted by gun-lobby extremists in Washington, encourage deadly confrontations by enabling people to shoot first and argue ’justifiable homicide’ later. The tragic death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed child attempting to walk home from the store, will continue to drive our efforts [to change those laws].”
Comptroller candidate Eliot Spitzer spoke similarly of the verdict, calling it “a failure of justice,” The Post reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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