
 




On Monday, March 26, many members of the Widener Harrisburg community wore a hoodie or black in a show of solidarity supporting justice for Trayvon Martin.On February 26, the 17-year old Martin was shot and killed by a self-appointed neighborhood watchman who thought he looked suspicious because he was wearing a hoodie (hooded sweatshirt). Nearly a month later, the gunman, who claims he acted in self-defense, has not been charged or arrested. The case has also brought scrutiny on provisions contained in Florida's &quot;Stand Your Ground&quot; law. Awareness of this tragedy has been spreading over the news and social media networks, and the Black Law Students Association on Widener Law’s Harrisburg campus believes that justice has yet to be served in this case. Rachel Hadrick, BLSA President, stated, “Members of the Harrisburg Chapter of the Black Law Student Association, along with our national organization, strongly believe that we need to bring awareness about the Trayvon Martin case, especially since there are many legal implications. While it is unclear how the Trayvon Martin case will turn out, it is clear to us that there was some failure in the legal system in response to Trayvon Martin's death. It is only because people all over the nation began to speak up that Trayvon's case was given even the hope of a full and fair investigation.“As future lawyers, we must all be concerned that our laws be applied fairly and consistently for every member of society, regardless of race. In addition to the issues of equity in our justice system, we feel it is imperative that those in the legal profession engage in a thorough dialogue regarding state &quot;Stand Your Ground&quot; laws. Recently, the National Bar Association, the nation's oldest organization of African-American lawyers, has requested that the Department of Justice engage in a review of these laws. We cannot have another Trayvon Martin, and as future jurists we will continue to shine a light on this issue until justice is served.”The Black Law Students Association would like to thank all of the students, faculty, and staff who participated in and supported Monday's event.