George Zimmerman to be Charged in Trayvon Martin Shooting Death

The special prosecutor voided her option of charging Zimmerman with 1st-degree Murder.

(SANFORD, FL) - Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey announced plans to charge 28-year old George Zimmerman in the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. It was not immediately clear exactly what charge or charges Zimmerman will face.

The special prosecutor is expected to announce the criminal charges against George Zimmerman Wednesday afternoon, a law enforcement official told NBC News.

Angela Corey, the special prosecutor appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to re-examine the case, stated earlier that she did not plan to take it to a grand jury. She thus voided her option of charging Zimmerman with first-degree murder.

NBC station WESH of Orlando reports that Seminole County sheriff's deputies spent the morning setting up barricades adjacent to the jail's booking area for new inmates.

The initial decision of authorities in Sanford, Florida to not charge Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in the shooting death of Martin, has led to a national outcry from angry Americans who demand that justice be served.

Zimmerman was not arrested initially because of a law that was passed in Florida and several other states, known as 'Stand Your Ground', which provides legal protection for people who use a gun in what they perceive to be a matter of self-defense.

Under these laws, "self-defense" places a shooting death like this one in a totally different light.

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Kevin April 16, 2012 10:50 am (Pacific time)

Tim, Ralph Stone, et al: Here is a brief assessment by trial lawyers from the area of the shooting in Florida, not my words: "In order to show that the killing was justified, the accused must prove that: 1) the defendant was not otherwise engaged in unlawful activity; 2) the defendant was at a place where he had a right to be; 3) the defendant was attacked; and 4) the defendant reasonably believed that he was about to suffer death or great bodily injury...From what is publicly known about the evidence in the case, George Zimmerman has a real chance of winning a dismissal. Here's why: First, George Zimmerman need only convince the judge by a preponderance of the evidence. The preponderance of the evidence standard (over 50% belief standard) is the lowest burden in criminal law. Zimmerman need only convince the judge that it is more likely than not that he acted justifiably...Second, the lack of eye-witnesses to the incident provides the State with very little evidence to contradict Zimmerman's claims. From what is publicly known about the evidence, the State does not have an eye-witness that can testify that Zimmerman attacked Martin; the State does not have an eye-witness that can testify that Zimmerman didn't walk back to his car; the State doesn't have an eye-witness that can testify that Zimmerman shot Martin while Martin was helpless; the State simply doesn't have an eye-witness to the shooting itself...Admittedly, the contents of the Medical Examiner's report have not yet been made public. If the Medical Examiner's report indicates that Trayvon Martin was shot from a distance, or shot in the back, then Zimmerman's chances of winning a dismissal decrease exponentially. However, considering the State's woefully inadequate Probable Cause Affidavit, in which the State made no indication that the Medical Examiner's report contradicts Zimmerman's claims, it is unlikely that the Medical Examiner's report will do much to aid the prosecution. Zimmerman, however, has evidence to corroborate his claims. At least one witness has stated publicly that Martin was "beating up" Zimmerman. The same witness claims that Zimmerman was calling for help. Zimmerman received care from EMT's at the scene, who treated Zimmerman for a bloody nose and for an injury to the back of his head. Video surveillance from the night in question confirms that Zimmerman suffered injuries to the back of his head. In light of Zimmerman's low burden of proof, these corroborating pieces of evidence can prove essential in winning dismissal..Thus, when looking at the elements that Zimmerman must establish to prove he acted justifiably, it seems reasonably certain that Zimmerman can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that: 1) he was not otherwise engaged in unlawful activity; 2) he was at a place where he had a right to be; 3) he was attacked; and 4) he reasonably feared he would lose his life or suffer great bodily injury. The State has never alleged--nor could they--that Zimmerman's following of Trayvon Martin was an unlawful activity; or that it placed Zimmerman at a location where Zimmerman had no right to be. Similarly, as already stated, the State does not seem to have an eye-witness to the initial physical confrontation between Zimmerman and Martin. Therefore, it will be extremely difficult for the State to contradict Zimmerman's claim that Martin attacked him and bashed his head into the concrete, creating for Zimmerman a well-founded fear of great bodily injury..." http://www.southfloridacriminallawyersblog.com/2012/04/why-trayvon-martins-case-may-not-go-to-a-jury.html

Ralph E. Stone April 12, 2012 7:05 am (Pacific time)

Now we will have to see whether Zimmerman will prevail at trial by asserting the "stand your ground" defense. And we will have to await the results of the U.S. Justice Department investigation.

Anonymous April 11, 2012 5:19 pm (Pacific time)

ooops...forgot one thing..zimmerman has no power to start a race war. White/brown/black have been killing for quite some time now. NO, it was NOT zimmerman, it was the obama admin, and MSM that made this an issue. "If I had a son, he would look like Treyvon"..what perfect, prepared, propaganda...If WE do not do the research, and find the causes, these things will continue. If you want to cry over a death of one person, when many are being killed every day, YOU are part of the problem, and it will continue. Do your research. Salem-news shows the atrocities thru out the world, I commend salem-news for that, but they do NO research on what is causing it.

Anonymous April 11, 2012 5:09 pm (Pacific time)

To editor: I am the anon you blasted. I am about obama's age. 30 years ago, I worked hard on the plight of the black people. One of the things I saw that hurt them was the open borders. I am not racist against hispanics, my children (22/24) are 1/4 hispanic and doing well..But I knew, if the flood of hispanics came in, it would cause problems. This is chemistry 101. I advocated for a visa system that would actually work. And I was correct. Just wondering where you were then? Where was obama? How many blacks and hispanics died? Google it, its beyond your imagination. What about the HIV that was DNA planned for the blacks? What about the planned parenthood set up in black neighborhoods, killing hundreds of thousands of black babies? And in conclusion, I honestly dont know what happened. That is why I stayed away from the topic. For every piece of evidence you have, there is evidence on the other side. But there is one thing I do know, is that obama and the MSM used this for their own agenda. Why not get mad at THEM, who are fibbing, instead of ME, who is trying to tell the truth? And if we dont find the truth, how many other "underdogs" will be killed...It is of my opinion, that is is YOU that will cause more of this type of stuff, because you dont look at the cause, nor the agenda.

Anonymous April 11, 2012 3:55 pm (Pacific time)

by the way...I would never say something on these posts such as you did...first you twit my words, then you say "OK I can't say what I want but you get the idea. Oh, and rotate!" Not very professional...And if you dont post my comments, it will only show that you were wrong.. Yet again, I made it VERY clear, that this was not about the crime itself, but how the corporate owned obama admin, and the corporate owned MSM used this to their own agenda. Not sure how much clearer I could have made it.

Editor: All day, seven days a week, I am berated with overtly racism comments from paid shills (I hope that is the case, and that their comments don't really reflect what people believe) So I am sensitive to a degree and don't mean to trash people's feelings, but frankly I have no idea why you would bring this stuff up. Salem-News.com is hard in the trenches fighting racism, this is just one of the more recent debacles we have followed. We root for the underdog, if you don't then you will never like what you see here.

Anonymous April 11, 2012 3:41 pm (Pacific time)

TO editor..I said nothing about the crime itself, I said nothing about who started it, or who was right or wrong, all I said is that the obama admin and the mainstream media used this incident to incite a race war..YOU should pay attention to my writing. The fact is, I grew up in southern california, and this stuff happened all the time, so forgive me for not crying ok? Please try and read what I write. I said they USED this situation for their own benefit. Please quit putting words in my mouth ok?
Dear lord, and you are an editor?
Anyway, they are going with 2nd degree murder..Watch what happens now. They will drag this thing on for months, and you will STILL see the focus on a race war. Watch and see.
And editor, please read my comments carefully before blasting me..thanks

Editor: I just see the focus of the problem being the boy's death. Zimmerman is who wanted a race war if anyone did, have you considered that?

Anonymous April 11, 2012 2:57 pm (Pacific time)

It should be interesting what the charge(s) will be brought in this case, Zimmerman is going down one way or another and the nation is smiling!

DoubleAgent April 11, 2012 2:39 pm (Pacific time)

allowing the Court of Public Opinion to drive 'Justice,' rather than Grand Jury, police investigations, or regular Prosecutors is an abhorrent miscarraige of Justice. All the protests offend me as someone who respects Constitutional principles of "innocent until proven guilty." I have a feeling the ultimate verdict is not going to be appreciated/respected by the local community (just as with Casey Anthony in the same state)

Anonymous April 11, 2012 2:37 pm (Pacific time)

Actually, it was obvious that the obama administration and the mainstream media used this incident to incite a race war.

Editor: Are you really making that statement with a straight face? How much do you nameless wonders get paid to write this stuff?

But, alternative news, such as infowars.com (and drudge who linked to infowars), republican broadcasting network etc. exposed the obama admin inciting a race war to cover up for all the draconian legislation, expanding wars all over the middle east and africa, and the complete collapse of the economy, while spending billions building a police state.

Editor: The thing is, I have a thousand criticisms of Obama, but you are taking fantasy pills to link Zimmerman's personal (100% his choice to do what he did) decision to pursue a black child and kill him with Obama and the media starting a race war. You think it was a plot from Obama? People need to be serious, this is not serious conversation.

Obama needs a distraction. But before I rush too quick here, lets see what actually transpires with this. This may simply be a ploy, we shall see. p.s. I have no comment on who was right and wrong, I am just saying, this terrible incident was being used to start racial tension.
impeach obama is gaining massive ground: http://www.infowars.com/obama-impeachment-2012/

Editor: So entertaining... One guy's a kid and he's dead after walking to the store to get Skittles. One guy who has a real habit if packing a loaded weapon and following people around and calling 911 (wannabe fake cop, Z' called 911 46 times this year!) has a smoking gun in his hand, the same guy clearly told via 911 to stop following the kid. But you aren't sure who is wrong and who is right? Well excuse me but on behalf of humanity, and every parent in the world who worries about this happening to their kid, you need to... OK I can't say what I want but you get the idea. Oh, and rotate!

Anonymous April 11, 2012 1:47 pm (Pacific time)

That is what Obama wants, it is what America wants, it is what God wants.

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