Funeral for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s mom draws crowd

Funeral for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s mom draws crowd

NEWVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Mourners are crowding into a small church in rural southeastern Alabama for the funeral of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s mother.

The 200-seat Center Baptist Church in Newville was nearly full before the start of Ada Sharpton’s funeral. She died at 87 on Thursday following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Sharpton traveled to Newville from Sanford, Fla., where he has been leading rallies and supporting the family of Trayvon Martin. The unarmed teenager was fatally shot last month by a neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, who says the shooting was self-defense.

Sharpton and other civil rights leaders say Zimmerman should be arrested and prosecuted for Martin’s death.