If Trayvon Martin really did attack George Zimmerman, he did it armed with an iced tea and a bag of Skittles. Martin is dead and his killing has tens of thousands of Americans demanding justice for the high school student. One of those Americans lives in the White House.

---

Part Three of The Current

Justice for Trayvon Martin - Panel

U.S. President Barack Obama knows better than to wade deeply into a legal case -- especially a homicide -- but Trayvon Martin's death is hard to ignore. The 17-year-old was shot and killed last month in Sanford, Florida by a Neighbourhood Watch captain. George Zimmerman claimed self-defence. But the evidence that's emerged since the killing suggests many things -- and very little suggests Zimmerman was in danger. Martin was a high school student, armed with an iced tea and a bag of candy.

Nevertheless, the Florida police did not arrest Zimmerman -- and fueled by weeks of tweets and talk radio, American rage grew. The chief of police in Sanford has stepped down. The U.S. Department of Justice opened a civil rights probe into the shooting. And a grand jury meets next month to consider the case. And across the U.S., thousands have marched and rallied and demanded justice.

Our next three guests have watched events unfold with professional and personal attention. Rinaldo Walcott is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. He was in our Toronto studio. Jabari Asim is an associate professor of Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College in Boston, and the Editor-in-Chief of The Crisis magazine - a magazine published by the NAACP. And Imani Perry is a professor at the Center for African American Studies at Princeton University. Jabari Asim and Imani Perry both joined us from Boston.

This segment was produced by The Current's Kathleen Goldhar and Hassan Santur.

Related Links:

• Stand with Trayvon's mother for justice By: Sherrilyn A. Ifill - CNN
• Trayvon Martin's death: thousands attend rally - in pictures - The Guardian
• Charge for threatening Florida chief in teen death case - Associated Press

Last Word - Trayvon Martin Song Medley

We've been talking today about the killing of Trayvon Martin. The case has deeply touched many Americans and the internet is filled with tributes and rage. You can hear some of this rage in songs people have posted on Youtube. On today's Last Word, in the musical court of public opinion, the verdict is in.

Other segments from today's show:

• New NDP leader, new way forward ?
• Aboriginal business proposals in the oilsands