Local Pastors Meeting With MDPD Ahead Of Zimmerman Verdict
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Local pastors will meet with Miami-Dade Police in two local churches Thursday to talk about the impending verdict from the George Zimmerman murder trial in Sanford, Florida.
One meeting will be held at the Peaceful Zion Missionary Baptist Church at 2400 NW 68th Street in Miami and the other will be held at the Martin Memorial AME Church at 14700 Lincoln Blvd.
It's not known if the public or the media will be allowed into the meetings.
A separate meeting will also be held at the Martin Memorial AME Church by State Representative Kionne McGhee and the NAACP to talk about voting rights and the recent Supreme Court decisions on voting; but that will be a completely separate from the pastors meeting on the Trayvon Martin case.
Wednesday night, the Miami-Dade chapter of the NAACP brought together community leaders at the New Harvest Missionary Baptist Church.
University of Miami law professor Donald Jones said the Zimmerman case reflects a massive racial divide in the country.
"If Justin Bieber was wearing a hoodie, throwing gang signs, wearing gold, have a tattoo, but no one is going to shoot him on his way home from the 7-11," said Jones. "I think there is an unmistakable issue of racism."
In the audience, members of the NAACP Youth Leaders stressed the message of "Keep Calm for Trayvon" after the verdict is announced.
"We want you to do the right thing when the verdict comes down," said Louyankkah Justilien. "We don't want you to go to jail."
State Representative Barbara Watson said Miami doesn't need a repeat of the riots 30 years ago.
"In some areas, we have never overcome some of the tragedies that impacted our community in the 80's," she said.
"When we make smarter choices, it advances the cause of unity and peace and progress, not just for people of color, but for humanity as a whole," added Pastor Marvin Lue of Miami's Trinity CME Church.
