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Franklin Perez sets a sign in a wooded lot off of Mitchell Hammock Road.

By Alicia Mandigo | September 06, 2012

A Libertarian candidate for District 28 of the State House of Representatives said he is planning to sue the Libertarian Party of Florida in small claims court.

Franklin Perez, who was featured in a Seminole Chronicle story last April, said he became at odds with the state party after taking a public stance on the Trayvon Martin case. He said the party de-vetted him as a candidate after he announced his position on the case.

On Feb. 26, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed while walking through a gated Sanford community. Suspect George Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self-defense and initially was not arrested in the shooting. At the time Perez spoke out, calling for Zimmerman's arrest. Although Zimmerman was ultimately arrested in the case, Perez said the Libertarian Party took issue with his public position, saying that it was in conflict with the party's non-initiation-of-force policy.

"I really felt I needed to take a position on this because Sanford is in my district," Perez said.

This is Perez's fourth attempt to win a seat in the state House in District 28.

The Libertarian Party's official platform states this:

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Libertarian candidate scorned, to sue own party