George Zimmerman threatens to feed Jay-Z to an alligator over Trayvon Martin film
Did someone miss the memo that says don’t punch above your weight?
George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot Florida teen Trayvon Martin in February 2012, has reportedly threatened violence against rapper Jay-Z over a documentary the music executive is making about Martin’s death.
Zimmerman told the celebrity news website The Blast that a production team working on the film has harassed his family for interviews and footage.
“I know how to handle people who f*** with me, I have since February 2012,” he told the website.
He said he holds Jay-Z and executive producer Michael Gasparro responsible, and “anyone who f***s with my parents will be fed to an alligator.”
When those words went public over the weekend, rapper Snoop Dogg jumped in to put Zimmerman on notice.
“If one hair on jays hair is touched that’s when the revolution will b televised We one and to thank the system let the B***h a** mutha***** get away with murder try it again Trayvon Martin Gone but not forgotten,” Snoop wrote on Instagram.
Zimmerman told the Blast that two weeks ago a production team headed by Gasparro made unannounced visits to his parents’ and uncle’s homes in Florida.
Though he claimed the production crew “harassed” his family, Zimmerman did not explain what that entailed. The Blast noted how Zimmerman seemed especially upset about money rumored to have been paid to his ex-wife over her alleged participation in the film.
He said producers have refused to pay his parents or family members “but would not elaborate on their participation or willingness to go on camera for money” the website reports.
According to Deadline, Jay-Z’s docuseries, “Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story,” tells the life story of the dead teen and the legacy of his death. In July 2013, Zimmerman was found not guilty of second-degree murder and acquitted of manslaughter.
Jay-Z had initially teamed up with the Weinstein Co. for the six-part docuseries. But Weinstein’s name was removed from the project after he became embroiled in the sexual harassment scandal.
The docuseries is set to air on the Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV, in 2018, according to Newsweek. Jay-Z is also working on a biographical feature film about Martin.
Both the documentary series and feature film are based on two nonfiction books: “Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin,” written by Martin’s parents, and “Suspicion Nation,” by Weinstein’s former attorney Lisa Bloom, Newsweek reports.
This story was originally published December 18, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "George Zimmerman threatens to feed Jay-Z to an alligator over Trayvon Martin film."