Trayvon mom: Reexamine "Stand Your Ground" laws

Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, in a video by a coalition seeking a reexamination of Stand Your Ground laws that are on the books in 26 states. / Second Chance on Shoot First

(CBS/AP) MIAMI - The mother of slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin asks in a new video for a reexamination of "Stand Your Ground" laws around the U.S.

In the video released Friday, Sybrina Fulton said that this weekend will be a painful Mother's Day for her and for other mothers who have lost their children to "senseless gun violence."

"Nobody can bring our children back, but it would bring us comfort if we can help spare other mothers the pain that we feel on Mother's Day - and every day for the rest of our lives," she said.

Fulton called on people to ask their governors around the country to re-examine self-defense gun laws, which in some form are on the books in 26 states, including Florida.

In February Martin, 17, was shot and killed by Sanford, Fla., neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who claims he shot the teenager in self-defense. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges.

The video is sponsored by the "Second Chance on Shoot First" campaign, a coalition of a coalition of civil rights leaders, elected officials and law enforcement professionals, including the National Urban League, the NAACP, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and N.Y.C. Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

[oldman67]

I still say if George Zimmerman had obeyed the dispatcher Trayvon Martin might not be dead and Zimmerman might not be on trial.

[MsCastillo81]

Your son is dead because of you failing as a parent to raise your child right!!! You should have taught him not to be a little thug attacking people for no reason!

[Rob459]

While she deserves our sympathy for having lost her son, it is just idiotic to believe that she has anything relevant to say about the SYG law. That law had nothing to do with her son's death. The question is simply whether George Zimmerman was justified in using lethal force to stop her son from beating him. If his version of the story is correct, then SYG would have had no relevance, because his version of events means he would have been unable to retreat at the moment he fired, which means that the SYG law would not apply. And if his version is wrong, then he would not be justified under any law, including SYG, and there would be no reason to review the law. She has simply been used as a political pawn by others who see her tragedy as something to be exploited for their own political agenda.