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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, and sadly, the list goes on.
Their stories have similarities. They were all Black Americans whose deaths sparked outrage over racial disparities and injustice.
They also share another common thread, attorney Ben Crump.
Crump represented each of their families through their agony and their activism.
It’s a role he says is “his calling,” and as we approach the 10-year mark since Trayvon Martin’s death and the outcry that followed, Crump spoke with CBS Miami’s Lauren Pastrana to reflect on how the young teen’s legacy can be felt in the outcomes of more recent cases.
Here is part of their conversation:
Crump: “As we come upon February 26, 2022, everybody is going to reflect on Trayvon Martin 10 years later and how far have we come in the pursuit of equal justice under the law in the United States of America. How far have we come in the pursuit of racial justice in the United States of America. And I think in recent months, with the conviction of Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd by putting his knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, we know that Trayvon’s legacy looms large over that trial. Because Trayvon raised the consciousness level in America.
Pastrana: Is there any moment that stands out to you when you felt this young man, this young boy’s life is going to leave an indelible impact on our society?”
Crump: “I think there were certain moments that you knew it was historic what was happening as we fought for justice for Trayvon… I think when Lebron James and the Miami Heat all put on the hoodies and tweeted out the picture and said “We are all Trayvon” and it got retweeted about 4 million times… And certainly I knew it was historic when President Barack Obama went into the Rose Garden and said “If I had a son he would look like Trayvon Martin.”
Pastrana: “You’ve got Michael Brown, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Daunte Wright. All these names that became household names throughout the country because of the unfortunate circumstances in which they were killed, now your name in a way is also tied to theirs forever. What does that mean to you that you were able to come forward at a time when these families needed you to make sure their loved one got justice or that their story was heard?”
Crump: “My personal hero is Thurgood Marshall who said he didn’t take cases that would only impact the individual and their families. He took cases that would have the most impact on the greater society. And so when we think of my representation of Michael Brown, of Tamir Rice, of Breonna Taylor, of George Floyd, of Ahmaud Arbery, these were cases that had a great impact on the larger American society. And so I understand that if I’m to achieve my mission in life and that is to give all of our children an equal opportunity at life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness then I have to do so in a profound way by making sure that all of these cases are not swept under the rug.”
Pastrana: “Mr. Crump, knowing the outcomes of some of the more recent cases, do you think if George Zimmerman were to be tried today for the crimes he was accused of in 2012 that there would be a different outcome?”
Crump: “I think with the advent of technology and video surveillance everywhere I believe we would have seen what happened on that fateful night on February 26 2012. I believe video is a game-changer. I believe the outcome of the criminal prosecution of Trayvon’s killer would have been different.”
When asked if he ever saw himself serving on the bench, like his personal hero Former Civil Rights Attorney and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Crump said he is exactly where he is supposed to be, doing what he was put on this earth to do, which is fighting for justice, not just for the names we know, but for all those case we’ll never even hear about.