'Moved' Barack Obama says murdered black boy Trayvon Martin could have been him 35 years ago

The US president Barack Obama has reportedly addressed the Trayvon Martin case publically for the first time after George Zimmerman was acquitted a week ago, and said that he could relate to the ‘pain’ felt by the black community and further questioned the ‘stand-your-ground’ laws.

According to the Fox News, Trayvon Martin was a Florida teen who was shot dead in February 2012 while unarmed. Obama said that race may have played a strong role in the case had it been a ‘white male teen’, both the outcome and the aftermath of the killing might have been different.

Obama used highly personal comments and said that Martin could have been him 35 years ago and aimed his comments to put the angst in the black community in ‘context’.

The report said that the ‘stand-your-ground’ laws allow people to use lethal force if they feel threatened, even if they might have the option of retreating.

Obama further reiterated that the use of such laws could harm the peace and security in the society and ‘encourage’ violence, and acknowledged that this law was not part of Zimmerman defense.

George Zimmerman's brother Robert Zimmerman agreed with Obama's comments and said that there should be ‘teachable moments’ and voiced concern that leaders may be responding to ‘pressure’ as the Justice Department probes his brother to see if federal civil rights charges should be brought, the report added.