Dream Defenders Standoff At Fla. Capitol Shows No Sign Of Ending
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — Spurred by the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed Miami teen Trayvon Martin, protesters have continued a sit-in outside the office of Florida Gov. Rick Scott.
The "Dream Defenders" have said they will continue the protest until Scott calls a special legislative session on the "Stand Your Ground" law.
The law allows someone to use deadly force if they believe their life is in danger.
Gov. Scott said Monday he will not call a special session and that he still supports the state's self-defense laws.
The governor, however, did say he would send his Department of Juvenile Justice secretary to speak with protesters to discuss their concerns.
They have complained laws dealing with juveniles wind up pushing them into adult prisons.
The group's online petition at MoveOn.org for a special session has more than 27,500 signatures.
Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February 2012, after the two fought during a confrontation in a gated community in the central Florida city of Sanford.
Zimmerman did not invoke the "Stand Your Ground" law, instead relying on traditional self-defense arguments.
The whereabouts of George Zimmerman remain unknown.
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