Trayvon Martin

Bill Cosby has weighed in on the Trayvon Martin case, but NOT on the subject of race.

The famed comedian told the Washington Times that firearms in the wrong hands are the problem, and that neighborhood watch volunteers like George Zimmerman, who shot and killed the unarmed teen, should not be allowed to carry guns.

"We've got to get the gun out of the hands of people who are supposed to be on neighborhood watch," Cosby said in his first public remarks about the case.

"Without a gun, I don't see Mr. Zimmerman approaching Trayvon by himself," Cosby added. "The power-of-the-gun mentality had this man feeling unafraid to confront someone. Even police call for backup in similar situations.

"When you carry a gun, you mean to harm somebody, kill somebody."

The Cosby Show star's remarks were immediately circulated on the Web, including some sites that take issue with Cosby's pinpointing a gun as the problem.

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The controversial Trayvon Martin case has inspired protests, PSAs, debate, anger, prayer and vigils for the slain 17-year-old from coast to coast.

Now Wyclef Jean has penned his own musical tribute to Trayvon.

The Fugees musician teamed up with Prescribed and J. Williams to create a track titled "Justice (If You're 17)" in dedication to Martin. Listen:

Wyclef - Justice (Trayvon Martin Tribute)

Some lyrical excerpts from Wyclef's call for "Justice" include:

"If you're 17 / And you're wearing a hoodie / You're on the phone / Talking to your shorty / Make no mistake / There's one like you / In every city / You know the story."

"If you're 17 with a hoodie on / Watch out for the neighborhood watcher / If you're at the right neighborhood at the wrong time / Neighborhood watcher / This might be your last call to your girlfriend / The neighborhood watcher / Man I feel for you if you're 17."

This past week saw George Zimmerman charged with murder in the February 26 shooting of Martin, following more than a month of unrest.

Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Fla., claims he killed Martin in self-defense and that the teen was the aggressor.

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George Zimmerman made his first court appearance since being officially charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman wore a gray prison jumpsuit and spoke only to answer "Yes, sir," after being asked questions about the charge against him and his lawyer.

His hair was shaved down to stubble and he sported a thin goatee, which appeared consistent with his booking photo from the day before (below).

He resurfaced Wednesday to turn himself in after weeks in hiding. Meanwhile, a new document provided additional details on the prosecution's case.

Judge Mark E. Herr said he found probable cause to move forward with the case and an arraignment would be held on May 29 before another judge.

The affidavit of probable cause prepared by prosecutors shed some light on why they chose to charge Zimmerman in the February 26 shooting.

The Orlando Sentinel says that on that night, Trayvon Martin's mother identified screams heard in the background of a 911 call as her son's.

There were doubts as to whether Martin or Zimmerman called for help.

Prosecutors interviewed a friend of Martin's who was talking to him just before the shooting. Martin told the witness he was being followed and was scared.

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George Zimmerman will face criminal charges in the death of Trayvon Martin.

According to a senior law enforcement quoted by CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC and the Associated Press, the neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Fla., will be charged criminally in the February 26 case that has captivated the nation.

A legal analyst said earlier that the most likely charge would be manslaughter, but it was just announced that Zimmerman faces second-degree murder charges.

A press conference announcing the decision took place at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Angela Corey, the special prosecutor appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to look into the incident, stated earlier that she would not take the case to a grand jury.

That automatically ruled out first-degree murder as an option, but the second-degree murder charge was still on the table - and ultimately what Corey decided.

“I can tell you we absolutely did not come to this decision lightly,” Corey told reporters moments ago. “We do not prosecute by public pressure.”

Zimmerman is in custody, Corey confirmed, though she gave no additional details. CNN reports that he surrendered to local officials earlier today.

Lawyers for Zimmerman, 28, stepped down from the case Tuesday, saying he'd become uncommunicative and expressing concern for his emotional and physical well-being.

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The special prosecutor investigating the shooting death of Trayvon Martin ruled out using a grand jury in the case, meaning her office alone will decide whether or not to charge the teenager's killer, George Zimmerman, with a crime.

Florida Governor Rick Scott appointed Angela Corey, a seasoned state attorney based in Jacksonville, to take over the Trayvon Martin case as special prosecutor.

"State Attorney Angela Corey has decided not to use a grand jury in the Trayvon Martin shooting death investigation," her office said in a statement.

"At this time, the investigation continues and there will be no further comment." It's very much unclear when a decision will be reached in the case.

Martin's death has captured national attention because of racial profiling and Florida's controversial self-defense laws, prompting demonstrations across the U.S.

The unarmed Martin, 17, was black and Zimmerman, 28, the neighborhood watchman who has not been charged with a crime, is white and Hispanic.

A demonstration Monday temporarily shut down the police department in Sanford, Fla., the epicenter of the case and where the shooting took place.

Sanford police declined to arrest Zimmerman after the shooting, saying they found no evidence to contradict his account that he acted in self-defense.

Police cited Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which allows people to use deadly force against adversaries when they fear great bodily harm or death.

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A version of the 911 tape of George Zimmerman reporting suspicious behavior by Trayvon Martin before killing him was edited, NBC admitted this week.

It wasn't doctored - his words were left intact - but it's what we didn’t hear that sheds light on the ultimately fatal Martin-Zimmerman confrontation.

On March 27, NBC’s Today Show aired Zimmerman’s call to the police, featuring these words: “This guy looks like he's up to no good … he looks black.”

The recording went viral, no doubt shaping public bias against Zimmerman. But it turns out Today shortened, and thus altered the meaning of, the call:

Trayvon Martin 911 Call

Here is the fuller version of the recording:

    Zimmerman: "This guy looks like he's up to no good. Or like he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about."
    911 dispatcher: "OK, and this guy ... is he black, white or Hispanic?"
    Zimmerman: [pauses] "He looks black."

George Zimmerman’s actions February 26 remain dubious, and may still lead to criminal charges. Edited or not, the call still obviously shows he was told not to follow Martin that night, and his self-defense claim is highly questionable.

But, right now, he has not been charged.

Moreover, his description of Martin came only in response to a dispatcher's question. Was this racial profiling? Maybe. But the media dropped the ball.

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In the wake of the Trayvon Martin case an his own experiences, Tyler Perry has called for federal agents to take racial profiling seriously as a potential hate crime.

The Good Deeds director took to Facebook to discuss Martin, who was shot and killed in Florida in February by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman.

Moreover, Perry alleges he was pulled over in L.A. late one night for an illegal turn, reprimanded for having tinted windows, and realized he was in big trouble.

Tyler Perry writes on his official page:

“My mother would always say to me, ‘if you get stopped by the police, especially if they are white policemen, you say ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir’, and if they want to take you in, you go with them. Don’t resist, you hear me?"

"Don’t make any quick moves, don’t run, just go.’ It wasn’t until after I heard her voice that I realized that both officers were white… I didn’t feel safe at all."

"At this point, I told him (the arresting officer) that I wanted to get out of the car. I wanted the passersby to see what was happening.”

However, once a black officer pulled up at the scene and recognized Perry, the officials apologized and let him go. But the incident has stayed with him.

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The lawyer for Trayvon Martin's family is filing a formal request with the Justice Department, asking whether Florida prosecutors were negligent in not charging George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman who killed him.

The Martin family wants to know why the Florida state attorney Norm Wolfinger allegedly overruled police who wanted to arrest Zimmerman on February 26.

Wolfinger stepped down from the case last month. Angela Corey, Wofinger's replacement has been re-interviewing witnesses and examining evidence.

The case sparked questions nationwide about whether race played a role in the killing, during which Zimmerman insisted he shot Martin in self-defense.

Zimmerman has said he was jumped and threatened in a Sanford, Fla., gated community, and that the attack by Trayvon Martin left him in fear for his life.

Zimmerman's brother said medical records would in fact prove that this was an act of self-defense, even if the police video doesn't show any obvious injuries.

Martin's relatives, including his brother, do not accept that story.

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An elderly couple has reached a settlement with director Spike Lee after the pair had to abandon their home after he erroneously re-tweeted their address as that of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin.

The couple's attorney, Matt Morgan, announced the settlement Thursday.

Specifics of the settlement weren't disclosed, but Morgan says Lee proactively called the couple to apologize profusely for re-tweeting their address.

Elaine and David McClain are in their 70s. Elaine's son from a previous marriage is named William George Zimmerman, who once lived in their home.

He is no relation to 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who has controversially not been charged with a crime after he killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

The neighborhood watch volunteer has said he acted in self-defense, but the issue has raised racial tensions and widespread outrage across the U.S.

After someone posted the address believed to be Zimmerman's, Lee's re-tweet sent it to 250,000 people, some of whom harassed the McClains.

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George Zimmerman's brother Robert spoke on Piers Morgan Tonight Thursday to say that George is innocent, his life was in danger after Trayvon Marin attacked him violently, and that medical records will prove his brother's injuries were real.

Robert Zimmerman Jr. spoke to CNN last night, saying he wanted to correct some of the "mythology" and untruths that have been spread about the case.

"We're confident the medical records are going to explain all of George's medical history," Robert Jr. said. "His nose is swollen in that video. I'm his brother."

George Zimmerman's Brother Interview

George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, said he shot Trayvon Martin in self defense after the teen attacked him the night of February 26.

Martin, 17, was walking through the gated community back to the house of his father's fiancee, was wearing a hoodie in the rain and was unarmed.

Sanford, Fla., authorities say Zimmerman has not been charged because there are no grounds to disprove his account that he acted in self defense.

Critics say Zimmerman, who is half Hispanic, racially profiled Martin, who was black.

The shooting of Martin has sparked an intense national debate about race, leading to widespread debate. It was even addressed by President Barack Obama.

Like the POTUS, Robert Zimmerman Jr. also called the shooting a tragedy, however, he warned that some of the responses by the media and public have shown bias against Zimmerman and degraded the memory of the deceased.

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