( CNN ) -- On February 26 , 2012 , George Zimmerman , a Hispanic Neighborhood Watch volunteer at the Retreat at Twin Lakes housing complex in Sanford , Florida , shot and killed Trayvon Martin , an unarmed African-American 17-year-old . Initially , Zimmerman was not arrested , and no charges were brought against him . Rallies , protests and a media firestorm followed , even eliciting a comment from President Obama that `` If I had a son , he 'd look like Trayvon . '' The Rev . Al Sharpton came to Sanford and admonished residents that they were `` risking going down as the Birmingham and Selma of the 21st century '' if nothing was done . Benjamin Crump , one of the attorneys representing Martin 's parents and an instrumental advocate for bringing charges against Zimmerman after they were initially declined , maintains that the case is about civil rights . Whether the killing turns out to have been racially motivated , responded to in self-defense , the act of a resident concerned about the safety of his neighborhood or the act of a trigger-happy cop wannabe , race is an inescapable issue . In 2012 : Did politics drive prosecution in Trayvon Martin case ? Sanford is the county seat of Seminole County , Florida . Although it experienced explosive growth during the economic boom and has several large , modern upscale subdivisions , it remains relatively poor . With approximately 54,000 residents , it has a per capita income of only about $ 21,000 , with about 18.5 % of the city below the poverty line , according to the 2010 census . It is approximately 30 % African-American and 20 % Hispanic . It has a documented history of racial tensions between its police and its black residents . Contrast this with Seminole County . Seminole County is more than 80 % white ( including white Hispanics ) and only about 11 % black . Overall , only 10 % of the population is below the poverty line , and that factors in Sanford . If Sanford is removed from the equation , Seminole County is overall a very affluent county , predominantly white and Republican and filled with pockets of substantial wealth and gated subdivisions . Seminole County has become more suburban , and as growth has skyrocketed , the white population has diluted the strength of Sanford 's African-American vote and diminished its influence in elections . The prosecution of Zimmerman in the Martin killing has become a lightning rod for the racial discontent that has long been brewing in Sanford . Many are invested in believing this case to be representative of the bigotry that sadly still exists in certain quarters of the town . In 2012 : Trayvon Martin shooting was n't a case of racial profiling . A history of police indifference and societal prejudice has allowed this case , rightly or wrongly , to become the symbol for many of all things wrong with the criminal justice system and its treatment of blacks over the years , not only in Sanford but in many places throughout the country . It 's a large part of the reason that there has been so much inflammatory rhetoric and passion attached to this case . As you see the lawyers from each side pick a jury over the next week or two , do n't believe for a second that they are unaware of the strong racial issues that divide opinions . A deadly combination - guns and 'stand your ground ' The chances of the defense seeking a black juror , especially one from Sanford , are slim . Conversely , the prosecution will do all it can to select such a juror . Neither will acknowledge that race is a factor in their selection , but they know the history , the passions and the statistics . Do n't kid yourself for a minute that they do n't . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mark NeJame .
Race has been an issue in the Trayvon Martin killing since the incident . Comment: Sanford , Florida , has a history of racial tension , he says . NeJame : The prosecution of George Zimmerman has become a lightning rod for that tension .