Twitter Suspension For George Zimmerman’s ‘Revenge Porn,’ None For Trayvon Martin Death Photo [Video]
George Zimmerman got slapped with a Twitter suspension for posting “revenge porn” of an ex-girlfriend on Thursday. In September 2014, he was criticized for retweeting a picture of the dead body of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed teen he shot dead, in February 2012. There was even a hashtag created, #BanGeorgeZimmerman, but the cries of outraged Twitter users then fell on deaf ears.
Two tweets of a topless woman who he accused of sleeping with a “dirty Muslim” and of stealing from him were posted. His account suspension started soon after the second tweet and the account along with the pics are now inaccessible. A Twitter spokesperson said the company doesn’t usually comment on Twitter accounts due to privacy and security issues, but the Twitter account violated the social network’s policy on “revenge porn,” noted the Washington Post.
The first tweet read, “This is Heather. She cheated on me with a dirty Muslim.” Following the tweet was a topless photo of a woman and her phone number. An hour later, a follow-up tweet appeared, “Did I go [too] far? I won’t even mention that she stole a gun and cash from me. Her line’s busy.” This tweet was followed up with another topless photo of the same woman and an email address.
Soon a ban was in force, and everyone who wanted a Twitter suspension can now take solace. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement and the racial climate throughout the United States, Madame Noire writer Veronica Wells questioned how it’s possible for the Twitter powers that be to suspend an account for semi-nude tweets, but fail to exercise kindness and humanity to Martin’s family by removing offensive tweets.
A White Woman Had To Be Exploited Before Twitter Decided To #BanGeorgeZimmerman Trayvon’s dead body wasn’t enough. https://t.co/wT0UsqWQBt
— MadameNoire (@MadameNoire) December 3, 2015
Although Zimmerman was acquitted of first-degree murder in the Martin case, there was much controversy over whether he was threatened and exercised his constitutional rights or if he bullied an unarmed teenager and, literally, got away with murder. Since the acquittal, Zimmerman has been vocal and even bragged about his actions. In reference to a Twitter critic who responded negatively to the crime scene photo of Martin’s body, he taunted, “We all know how it ended for the last moron that hit me. Give it a whirl cupcake,” per the New York Daily News, but he was not admonished with a suspension.
After tweeting photos of Martin’s corpse this past September, he went on a Twitter rant against President Obama, referring to the president as a “race baiter.” Since Martin’s death, Zimmerman has been arrested for threatening his then estranged and now ex-wife and her father, and bullying an ex-girlfriend. Accusations of threatening a motorist in a road rage incident also surfaced. The ex-girlfriend pressed but later dropped charges.
Despite no resulting charges from the previous assault allegations, there is a possibility that actions which led to the Twitter suspension could be against the law. In October 2015, Florida became one of many states that have laws banning “revenge porn,” the nonconsensual distribution of photos and personal information.
NEW:Deputies says woman contacted them.What they say on possible charges against #GeorgeZimmerman 2night @news6wkmg pic.twitter.com/KRt9bqRw2b
— Sheli Muniz (@SheliMuniz) December 4, 2015
A Florida law expert said the laws don’t apply to the Twitter posts. The legal measures now in place apply to depictions of full nudity and sexual acts, according to Mary Anne Franks, law professor at the University of Miami, who consulted on the law’s drafting. She advised the State of Florida but was “quite critical of the final product,” added the Washington Post. However, there are federal laws that can be cited and may apply to the incidents.
The Twitter suspension has prompted the woman whose photo and information was posted to contact authorities.
[Image via Pool/Getty Images]
