Former Plainfield City Administrator Norton Bonaparte seeks justice in Trayvon Martin murder

By now, many Plainfielders have become aware that our own former City Administrator Norton Bonaparte is the city manager for Sanford, Florida, where the killing of Trayvon Martin has ignited a firestorm of protest and anger. For a summary of the case up to this point and focusing on the mobilization of Florida civil rights activists, see a recent Washington Post story here, which has gathered 4,700-plus comments.

Particularly egregious and provocative is Florida's 'castle doctrine' law, passed in 2005, under which Martin's killer has so far eluded charges or even arrest. The law (see more here) was inspired by the National Rifle Association and hawked around state legislatures by the conservative ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) organization.

However, such a firestorm of controversy has erupted that the Sanford police chief and the State's Attorney for the jurisdiction have both stepped down, at least temporarily. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has become involved and President Obama spoke on the issue, noting that if the Obamas had a son, he would look like Trayvon.

In its wire story, Reuters quotes Bonaparte (see here) as saying on CNN --

"My comments consistently have been that I'd like an independent review by a law enforcement agency that will tell me did the Sanford police do something they shouldn't have done or did they not do something they shouldn't have done," Bonaparte told CNN earlier on Thursday.

Norton Bonaparte, whose steady purpose kept him unruffled during the worst days of the last year of Al McWilliams' administration, when McWilliams was under attack from Sharon Robinson-Briggs and her allies for the number of homicides in that year, which became an issue in the final electoral campaign.

Those of us who worked with Norton in those troubled days came to respect his abiding sense of purpose and faith in due process to win out in the long run.

As we mourn the loss of young Trayvon Martin and purse, along with his parents, the cause of justice, I hope we will keep Norton and his family in our thoughts and prayers that they may be strong in this hour of trial and that justice may come to Trayvon's family, to Sanford, and to the whole country.

If you have not yet done so, plese consider signing the petition to bring Trayvon's killer to justice that is being circulated by the family on the Change.org website (see here), where more than 1.3 million people have already signed.
 

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• WashPost:  "Trayvon Martin shooting stirs memories of Civil Rights"
• PRWatch:  "ALEC ratified, NRA-conceived law may protect Martin's killer"
• Reuters:  "Authorities call press conference in shooting of teen"
• Change.org Petition:  "Prosecute the killer of Trayvon Martin"
  

-- Dan Damon [follow]

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