Paramount Announces Groundbreaking Television Event REST IN POWER: THE TRAYVON MARTIN STORY

Paramount Network, launching in January 2018, has teamed up with Shawn Carter and The Weinstein Company, for a landmark television event, REST IN POWER: THE TRAYVON MARTIN STORY, based on the life and legacy of Trayvon Martin. The six-part event series will go into production later this year and premiere on Paramount Network in 2018. This marks the first new non-scripted series for Paramount Network, which is rebranding from its current name, Spike TV, next year.

This is the second partnership between Shawn Carter, The Weinstein Company and Paramount Network/Spike TV and The Cinemart as they teamed up for the critically-acclaimed and influential series, "TIME: The Kalief Browder Story," that concluded last night.

Martin was an unarmed 17-year old high school student shot and killed by a neighborhood watch member George Zimmerman, in the Florida community where they both lived. Zimmerman was acquitted on a second-degree murder charge after claiming he shot Martin in self-defense, sparking protests and outrage worldwide.

"We are humbled and excited to embark upon this new beginning with Shawn Carter, Harvey, and Paramount. We know this means a lot to this country. We continue to tell our story in order to unite people. We are very hopeful that this project will bring about a healthy and helpful conversation on the injustices that have divided society. That is also why we started the Trayvon Martin Foundation. We know as parents, that the third act of our son's legacy is hope," said Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin.

"This is an important American story. We're honored that Trayvon's family has entrusted us to share the truth with the world," said Shawn Carter. Thank you, again, to Paramount Network/Spike TV for being brave enough to partner with us and tell these complex narratives. It's through these conversations that we can begin to heal."

"From two brilliant books come an incredible portrait of another American injustice," said TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein. "Having this opportunity to reunite with Shawn Carter and Kevin Kay of Paramount Network is a career highlight for me."

"I am thrilled to once again partner with the incredibly talented team of The Weinstein Company and Shawn Carter to take a comprehensive look BEYOND THE HEADLINES at the circumstances that caused Trayvon's senseless death and the movement born out of this tragedy," said Kevin Kay, President, Spike TV (soon to be Paramount Network), TV Land, and CMT.

"I am proud to help get these extremely important stories out there," said Chachi Senior, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Spike TV (soon to be Paramount Network). "Our hope is to continue to inspire change and reform the way we are doing with Kalief's story."

"Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story" will be based on two books - Lisa Bloom's "Suspicion Nation: The INSIDE STORY of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It" and "Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin," by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin

In "Suspicion Nation: The INSIDE STORY of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It," bestselling author, trial attorney, and NBC News analyst Lisa Bloom, who covered the murder trial, exposes the injustice and outlines the biggest mistakes made by the state of Florida that guaranteed it would lose this "winnable case," and the laws and biases that created the conditions for this tragedy.

In "Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin," Trayvon Martin's parents take readers beyond the news cycle with an account only they could give, the intimate story of a life tragically cut short and the rise of a movement to end similar injustices.

Executive Producers for the series include Shawn Carter, Harvey Weinstein, David C. Glasser, Chachi Senior, Sybrina Fulton, Tracy Martin, Jenner Furst, Nick Sandow, Julia Willoughby Nason, and Michael Gasparro.

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