San Marcans rally for Trayvon Martin

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) - A fatal shooting that has sparked rallies across the country is now energizing some Central Texas residents.

Daniel Scales and Lisa Marie Coppoletta, of San Marcos , are determined to keep the killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, in the spotlight - a case unfolding more than a thousand miles away in Florida.

The couple held a rally Saturday and were back out Monday afternoon holding fliers with Martin's picture.

"It is a modern day lynching, but this time we used a handgun instead of a rope," said Coppoletta.

The unarmed teenager was fatally shot exactly one month ago by George Zimmerman, 28, a neighborhood watch captain.   Martin was heading back to his home after buying Skittles and an iced tea at a nearby convenience store. 

Scales and Coppoletta are in line with many others who want Zimmerman charged with murder.
But, the couple is meeting backlash on message boards and other social media sites by those who feel this is a clear cut case of self defense.

"From what I know, the bottom line is, is there was a life and death struggle in that instance and someone was going to die," said Zimmerman's friend Joe Oliver.

Details surrounding the shooting are still murky.  That however, is not stopping many from calling the shooting a hate crime.

It is also a crime Coppoletta and Scales think could just as easily happen in San Marcos.

"We have a very small population of African Americans in this town and they do walk on the other side of the street," said Scales.

Gaining supporters is not proving to be easy in the city just more than 50,000 call home.  One man rolled up his window when Coppoletta approached his car to tell him about the case.  Scales also found himself screaming out,  'No justice, no peace,' to draw the attention of motorists.

Their biggest hurdle, however, is people not knowing about the case or simply not caring.

"It is like we are among the living dead.  It is a terrible B movie.  Maybe they glossed it over and thought, just another black young man dead," Scales said.

The couple's ultimate goal is to have the public not think of Trayvon as a statistic.  Their secondary goal is to let the world know vigilantism is not OK or acceptable, especially by those involved in neighborhood watch groups.

There are just as many others though who feel Zimmerman was within his legal right to shoot the teen and defend himself.   They believe the ultimate crime in this case would be charging Zimmerman with murder and taking away his freedeom.

Coppoletta and Scales told KXAN they will spend everyday at the old courthouse rallying.  They are planning a larger rally Saturday from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.  and have invited some state officials.  Coppoletta is expecting a couple hundred to attend.

A rally is also planned from 5 p.m . to 7 p.m . Tuesday at the gates of the State Capito l .