How the media portrayed Trayvon Martin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How the media portrayed Trayvon Martin - Essay Example Zimmerman reported that he shot him after Trayvon attacked him, and had done it in self defense. He was not charged for shooting Trayvon after the police concluded that there was no evidence demonstrating that the reports he had given were false. This paper will explore the portrayal of Trayvon by the media, explaining his case, and whether he deserved such portrayal. Mandel reports that immediately after the shooting of Trayvon, members of public and the media developed a narrative explaining why Zimmerman had killed the unarmed teenager, during the night of 26th February (1). The account reported that he had pursued the teenager and killed him in a brutal manner, due to Trayvon’s race. After the incidence, the media’s portrayal of Trayvon was that he was a young, innocent teenager who was victimized and killed in cold blood, for no good reason or cause. The media reported that the security guard had reported the questionable behavior of the teenager, which was supported by the audio of Zimmerman’s report to the police over 9-1-1. The audio report indicated that he suspected Trayvon, simply because he was an African American boy, which indicated that the case was largely one of racial violence. The audio recording of Zimmerman’s call, as given by NBC, reported, â€Å"Trayvon looked as if he was out to do something wr ong, and added that he looked black (Mandel).† The reports demonstrating Trayvon’s innocence were compounded by ABC’s release of video footage during the arrest of Zimmerman, claiming that, as he reported to the police – he did not have any injuries on his body. That report discredited the report that Trayvon had slammed Zimmerman’s head against the sidewalks. Later, ABC reported that they had edited the videos, eliminating the images showing Zimmerman walking to the police station, with fresh blood and wounds on his head. This time, different from earlier reports – like NBC and CNN – they reported that Trayvon attacked