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Trayvon's parents call for changes to law

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Published: Oct. 16, 2012 at 6:00 PM

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Parents of a Florida teenager slain by a neighborhood watch member say they have created a group to lobby for changes to the state's "stand your ground" law.

"Stand your ground" is the rationale used by George Zimmerman to defend his shooting of Trayvon Martin on Feb. 16 in an Orlando suburb, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton announced Tuesday the creation of a website and a group called "Change for Trayvon" to push for revisions to so-called stand-your-ground laws in Florida and other states.

The group, formally known as a committee of continuous existence, has a Paypal link for donations. The site says the money will "be distributed to candidates, elected officials and efforts which support the mission of... revising stand-your-ground laws across the nation to ensure there is judicial or prosecutorial oversight."

The website includes a video with Trayvon's parents in which Tracy Martin says stand-your-ground laws allow individuals "to shoot first and ask questions later."

About 90 percent of donations will go directly to support the committee's mission, the website says, and no member of the Martin family or their attorneys will benefit personally from any money raised.

The announcement came one day before the sixth meeting of a state task force reviewing the law.

Topics: George Zimmerman
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