As the Million Hoodies March in New York City got underway on Wed., city commissioners in Sanford, Fla., voted “no confidence” in Police Chief Bill Lee Jr. (3-2) following a motion made by Commissioner Mark McCarty as a result of the growing media coverage and national outrage of the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin: “I take no pleasure in a public flogging of our police chief, but he really should turn in his resignation,” McCarty said during the meeting.
The responsibility now falls on City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr., Lee’s boss, to ask for his resignation or fire him. While he called the vote “a strong statement”, he added that he wants to wait for the Justice Department and State Attorney’s Office investigations to be completed before he makes a decision. Lee has served as chief for only 10 months after the job was taken from Brian Tooley, who failed to act promptly after a police lieutenant’s son attacked a homeless man and police didn’t arrest him even though it was video recorded and the video was in police possession.
The vote comes following the release of a letter Bonaparte issued to answer some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding the Trayvon Martin case (READ THE LETTER). In addition, the commission voted to move Monday’s City Commission meeting to the Sanford Civic Center (401 E. Seminole Blvd. Sanford, FL 32771) to accommodate the massive crowd expected to attend with the meeting being fully devoted to the case. Members of Trayvon Martin’s family are expected to speak, and the Trayvon Martin March for Justice, led by Empower Movement, has been relocated, as well. Marchers are asked to gather at Centennial Park (400 Park Avenue, Sanford, FL 32771) at 4 p.m. to march to the civic center.
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