Trayvon Martin's parents 'wanted to tell their own story' in new 'Rest in Power' docuseries
The first episode of the six-part docuseries "Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" airs Monday night.
Based on Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin's memoir, "Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin," the series examines their son Trayvon Martin's life, legacy and the events that followed his untimely death.
Trayvon's mother said the series is important because it gives a real and accurate account of her son.
"It's coming from his parents," Fulton told ABC News. "I mean, there are no better spokespersons than his parents. We just wanted to tell our side of the story. We wanted to tell how we felt raising Trayvon, how we felt when Trayvon got shot and killed and [how we believe] the person wasn't held accountable. We wanted to tell how we felt in the courtroom, and how we felt with the verdict and how we moved forward with the foundation."
Trayvon, 17, was killed Feb. 26, 2012, while walking home from a convenience store after neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman confronted and later shot him. Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in July 2013.
Fulton said she was never "apprehensive" about bringing her son's story to the screen.
"I felt it was important for us to tell our own story," she explained. "I was a little irritated with so many people writing articles...comments and statements, and things that's going on about Trayvon. And none of them knew who he really was."
Trayvon's father added that the memoir and docuseries have been "therapeutic" for him. However, it's still no cure for what he lost.
“[N]othing that you do can bring closure when you have an open wound like that," Tracy Martin said. "And so for me the hurt and the pain is there every day."
"Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" airs simultaneously tonight at 10 p.m. ET on the Paramount Network and BET.
