Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, an Illinois Democrat who’s also a member of the leftist Congressional Progressive Caucus, called for the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on Trayvon Martin.
Trayvon, 17, was shot and killed in February 2012 by George Zimmerman, 29. Mr. Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder on Saturday by a jury panel composed of six women.
On Monday, Mr. Gutierrez wrote to Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Republican and committee chairman, as reported by WLS 89 in Chicago: “When any child is gunned down and no one goes to jail, it is incumbent on lawmakers at the highest level of government to investigate whether justice has been done, whether the underlying law is just and whether federal legislation could help avoid another tragic death like the death of Trayvon Martin.”
Mr. Gutierrez said Trayvon’s death “undermines the rule of law” and exemplifies “just how dangerous the combination of rampant fear and easily available guns can be,” WLS 89 reported.
Mr. Gutierrez is a steadfast supporter of tightening Second Amendment rights. Earlier this year he introduced a bill to ban what he called “junk guns,” or those that are cheaply made and commonly used in crimes, the station reported.
He wrote in his letter that “there is no reason in a modern society to accept the sale, marketing, and widespread proliferation of guns as a means for killing other human beings and our laws should reflect that fact. Day after day and month after month, gun violence is taking the lives of children … in Chicago at a horrendous rate. And yet, the House Judiciary Committee scarcely has anything to say about it.”
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WLS 89 reported that Mr. Gutierrez wants the Martin hearings to go forth as soon as possible.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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