The Department of Justice says it will review the Travyon Martin-George Zimmerman case

[frontier00]

Source: Politico

The Department of Justice says it will review the Travyon Martin-George Zimmerman case

Read more: https://twitter.com/politico

[Jack Rabbit]

1. I hope Mr. Holder Holder doesn't go after Zimmerman like . . .

. . . he's gone after Legs Dimon and Pretty Boy Lloyd.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Interesting . . .

[Hissyspit]

3. AP Link:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/justice-dept-zimmerman-case-under-review

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department says it is looking into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin to determine whether federal prosecutors should file criminal civil rights charges now that George Zimmerman has been acquitted in the state case.

The department opened an investigation into Martin's death last year but stepped aside to allow the state prosecution to proceed.

In a statement Sunday, the Justice Department said the criminal section of the civil rights division, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office for the Middle District of Florida are continuing to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal probe, in addition to the evidence and testimony from the state trial.

The statement said that, in the government's words, "experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation."

[Baitball Blogger]

10. "experienced federal prosecutors"

I have a theory that our state's law enforcement agency and court system are rusty when it comes to the constitutional process because, too often, they yield to the good ole boy network.

[Botany]

4. they can get him for interfering with Mr. Martin's civil rights.

the DoJ did this in the 60s for klan member police and sheriff officers who
killed blacks and civil rights workers ...... this has real teeth and it could put
Zimmerman away for years.

[kestrel91316]

7. As much as I would celebrate this, I don't see how.

You have to be operating under color of law to fall under civil rights statutes, IIRC. That means officers of the state. Zimmy is a private citizen.

[Autumn]

9. A question. He was on the neighborhood watch for the HOA.

Could he be considered a volunteer agent? Big difference between but the HOA did settle with Trayvons Mom in the civil suit.

[kestrel91316]

14. Neighborhood Watch and HOAs aren't law enforcement agencies or other arms of government.

[Autumn]

16. Thanks, I wasn't sure. I don't know why they would even bother

to say they are going to look into it if that's the case.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

19. Nor was GZ "on watch" at the time.

IIRC he was simply on his way to the store as a private citizen.

[Kennah]

25. Actually, they can

Under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2009.

That said, I think it's going to be a VERY tall order to get a conviction. The circumstantial evidence tells me that Zimmerman was operating on race in deciding Trayvon Martin was "suspicious". Proving though is going to be tougher than a Murder Two conviction.

[HockeyMom]

28. The 46 911 calls

Calls about suspicious white men? Nope. But even a 4 foot, 7 year old black child was one of those "suspicious" people. He gave a detailed description to the police of his suspects.

[Kennah]

29. Total agreement on a circumstantial basis, but I don't see them making a case.

[premium]

32. The FBI has already investigated and determined

that this wasn't a racially motivated hate crime.

(Reuters) - FBI interviews with dozens of friends, coworkers and neighbors of George Zimmerman found no evidence that the accused murderer of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin was a racist, according to new documents released on Thursday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/12/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE86B1AD20120712

Here's what I predict will happen, nothing, they will make statements about how they're investigating and then.................., nothing.

[Kennah]

35. You are indeed correct. The investigation seems little more than appeasement.

[sofa king]

47. Concur, but...

... Appeasement though it may be, I think that there might be another angle that will be looked at, which is the judge's decision to leave the provocation clause out of the jury instructions.

That was the fix, the favor daddy judge was able to call in for his boy. If that fix is further elaborated upon by investigation, even if it comes to nothing (as we all seem to agree it will), then it will become effectively impossible for the judge in this case to be rewarded by appointment to a federal bench--by a future President Jeb Bush, for example.

So while the investigation will come to nothing, it might at least permanently seal off this single back-alley of corruption. One finger in the corroded dike.

[christx30]

48. If the fix was in,

they need to take a long look at the judge in the case. The judge's jury instructions basically were that the story starts "Once upon a time, George Zimmerman was getting beat down by pothead Treyvon Martin" without any of the stalking that GZ did. That was the story that the defense wanted to have, and that prosecutors wanted expanded. But the judge decided not to allow anything else.

[Demeter]

5. Be still, my beating heart

Color me Not Impressed.

[frontier00]

6. Yep

"experienced federal prosecutors

[frontier00]

8. Limited

Howard Fineman ?@howardfineman 1m
#DoJ said today it will examine whether it can bring a case against #Zimmerman but described the roster of possible charges as "limited."

Go for manslaughter, even invol.

I want Zimmy to do some jail time, even a week as long as when he gets out he can't own a gun

[Mr. David]

11. It's time for GZ to face the needle.

The six idiots couldn't get the job done.

It's time to indict GZ tomorrow via a federal grand jury, for capital murder enhanced by hate crimes.

[Morganfleeman]

13. Under what statute?

Because there is no capital murder statute that I'm aware of that applies here. The most Zimmerman COULD get under Federal hate crimes laws is 10 years.

[Kennah]

26. Actually, he could get life

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard_and_James_Byrd,_Jr._Hate_Crimes_Prevention_Act

[premium]

34. See post #32.

No hate crime according to FBI.

[SlimJimmy]

30. I'm about sick of some folks here calling the jurors in this case idiots. They were charged to

do a specific job (evaluate evidence and determine guilt) They did just that. That we didn't like the outcome is beside the point and completely irrelevant. If the Prosecution hadn't over-charged, presented a generally weak case, then added manslaughter as a mere afterthought at the end of the case, there might have been a different outcome.

If you want to find idiots, I'd suggest that you look in another direction.

[John2]

38. I don't think

everybody is calling them idiots, but they suspect racism involved in their decision to acquit Zimmerman by ignoring certain evidence. The evidence that he profiled Martin and called him an Ahole, punk and suspect. The fact that he called him up to no good and the simple fact, that Trayvon Martin had every right to defend himself against a grown man with a gun. They totally ignored the rights of Trayvon Martin and made him the criminal. There was evidence Zimmerman pursued Trayvon but none Trayvon ever pursued Zimmerman. The jury ignored all those facts in the case.

[SlimJimmy]

41. What *job* did they have? Convict him no matter what? None of us were in the jury

room, so none of us can speculate as to what they considered and what they didn't consider. In other words, we aren't them and our opinion of them means squat.

It's time for GZ to face the needle. The six idiots couldn't get the job done.

[LanternWaste]

45. If that's the case, try not to get so bent out of shape

"and our opinion of them means squat...."

If that's the case, try not to get so bent out of shape when people call them idiots.

[SlimJimmy]

46. I'm not *bent out of shape*. I was just pointing out that the jurors are not idiots

for coming to a conclusion that differs from ours. It seems to me that you are really reaching in order to make some kind of point.

[LanternWaste]

49. I bemused when I observe someone holding others to a higher standard than they hold thems

Criticizing the mere opinions of others seems to be both bendy and shap-y. by defending those you;ve never met and could quite possibly be idiots.

No point here... I simply get bemused when I observe someone holding others to a higher standard than they hold themselves...

(insert rationalization here)

[SlimJimmy]

55. That was really brilliant. I'm bendy in awe of your bemusement. (nt)

[premium]

33. What hate crime?

FBI already determined that this wasn't a racially motivated hate crime.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/12/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE86B1AD20120712

(Reuters) - FBI interviews with dozens of friends, coworkers and neighbors of George Zimmerman found no evidence that the accused murderer of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin was a racist, according to new documents released on Thursday.

Try learning what the hell you're talking about.

[John2]

37. Isn't part of

the FBI's evidence based on detective Serino's claims or interpretation? Serino claimed that he didn't believe Zimmerman followed Martin based on race but because of his attire, meaning the hoodie. He went on to justify his statement by saying there were Goons or gangs in the area that wore those certain clothes which Zimmerman based it on. So wouldn't part of the FBI's conclusions come from Serino's statements to excuse race?

That would also go a long way into combatting the racial profiling evidence, which is illegal. Do you think the FBI questioned Serino sufficiently or took his word for Goons or gangs wearing that attire in the area? Also do you think the FBI questioned Serino how he came to that conclusion, Zimmerman knew about these gangs or goons wearing such attire? So the FBI checked out Serino's information about these Goons or gangs or did they just accept his word?

And what about the fact, Zimmerman's own defense witness, used racial profiling as a justfication of Zimmerman being suspicious of Trayvon to the jury, by basing testimony on two young blackmales or a young Blackmale being caught with a stolen item in his backpack? Was that information ever available to Zimmerman.

What I'm alluding to, did Zimmerman base profiling Trayvon because of his knowledge about these gangs or goons and his attire, or because he had knowledge of the Black male youths? Also, is it a fact, Detective Serino allowed a former Seminole policeman, who was Zimmerman's friend, attend or involve himself with Serino's investigation? Especially going with Zimmerman on a re-enactment of the crime scene right after the murder. Isn't there a potentiality for a coverup?

[premium]

40. Knowing how the FBI operates,

I would say that they question Det. Serino pretty good to get a sense of what he thought of Zimmerman, also, the FBI, in their own words, interviewed dozens of his friends, neighbors, co-workers and came away convinced that there was no proof of Zimmerman being a racist.

That report alone is going to be a huge thorn in the DoJ's side if they want to try to pursue charges of civil rights violations.

My prediction is that the DoJ will hem and haw for a couple of months to show that they're truly investigating, then they'll hold a press conference saying that there's not evidence of this being a racially motivated hate crime.

[ceonupe]

51. On a Friday

Before a holiday

[SlimJimmy]

44. The FBI's preliminary investigation conducted months ago found no evidence that

Zimmerman was a racist.

The Justice Department has responded to appeals to probe whether George Zimmerman committed any civil rights violations in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin -- but previously filed FBI documents are already challenging the narrative that the shooting was racially motivated.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/little_document_pursues_zimmerman_uAQjdqGhtH6RVcBFemuPyK?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=National

[Morganfleeman]

12. I wouldn't expect a prosecution

Zimmerman can only be prosecuted under 18 USC 249.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/federal-statutes#section249

That was the hate crimes legislation passed in honor of James Byrd and Matthew Shepard. The statutes in the Rodney king case deal with government agents so those dont apply. Would be VERY difficult to get any conviction on this ground because you would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was BECAUSE of the victim's race. Self defense still applies here. This is a lot of bark but no bite. They will not bring a prosecution because the odds of success are slim and the Civil Rights Division generally avoids cases unless it's a slam dunk. This is anything but.

[Kennah]

27. Great minds. Thank you for posting. Welcome to DU!

Spot on about the legislation, and sadly I agree with your assessment. There is almost no chance they will pursue it.

[goldent]

54. Yeah, my impression is that such a case would be far weaker than the original one.

Last edited Tue Jul 16, 2013, 08:37 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm not sure why you would go into this if there is a very high chance of another acquittal. It would just result in more pain.

Edit for typos

[Major Hogwash]

15. No doubt about it.

It will probably take a couple of weeks for them to announce it though.

[Blandocyte]

17. My tax dollars at work? No thanks

Jury decided. It's done. Please.

[CatWoman]

18. ok with you if others disagree

and wholeheartedly applaud the use of "our" tax dollars in persuing this?

[barbtries]

20. excellent.

i'm so heartbroken for Trayvon's loved ones today.

[Tumbulu]

21. I certainly hope so!

My goodness, not even manslaughter?

Who were these cooky jurors? And why only 6?

[bonniebgood]

23. Who are these cooky jurors? rightwing nuts that had to go back to

their rightwing racist neighborhood.

[Tumbulu]

31. my current theory is that they were set up

or coerced by the CIA as Zimmerman's father was CIA, right?

[Igel]

39. Sarcasm?

I hope so.

GZ's father was a retired VA magistrate That's often translated as "judge," but it's sort of a low-ranking "judge." Review evidence for subpoenas and warrants and issue them. That sort of thing. Part of the court "intake system." No trial or injuction authority at all.

[Politicub]

22. I don't know anything about this area of the law

Getting my research hat on.

[blkmusclmachine]

24. Yeah, well, unless medical marijuana is involved, don't expect any action fr. Holder.

[Ash_F]

36. DoJ can do whatever it wants.

But it has to want it.

Our armchair lawyering is irrelevant. Hell they've kept goat herders in prison in Guantanamo for ten years on basically no evidence. They do what they want.


Unfortunately, I don't think they really want this. Don't want to step on anyone's toes. Gotta keep looking forward.

[FreeBC]

42. How about they review the case of the woman sent to jail for 20 years for firing warning shots?

Maybe that might actually do some good.

[SlimJimmy]

43. I don't know the facts in that case, but I would think that would be a good place to start for

suspect case review.

[ceonupe]

52. Gun controllers mandatory min.

Sent that woman to jail.

Most on DU support mandatory min. For gun crimes. That gives the judge no say so to give appropate sentence based on facts.

So if charged with domestic violence like the lady was the gun charges by law are auto added and each had 10 years attached to them.


These are the exact laws most gun control groups support zero tolerance laws.

Also note Angela Cory pushed that case to and even went to court claiming to support the woman's kids by locking their mom up for 20 years

[lunatica]

53. please prove a link

We kind of like that on DU.

Thanks.

[LanternWaste]

50. Good. If for no other reason...

Good. If for no other reason, it frustrates off those who defend the same guy who attempted to illegally transfer money from his jail cell, and casts more light on them they they believe.