If Holder prosecutes GZ for violating Trayvon's civil rights

[MoonRiver]

would SYG still be an issue? Or would the defense strictly relate to self-defense? Guess what I'm asking is how would that case (against GZ) be prosecuted?

[Pelican]

1. It won't...

[MoonRiver]

2. That should help the case then.

I really hope he does prosecute.

[Travis_0004]

8. I think civil rights cases are usually only applied to law enforcement.

Since Zimmerman was not a police officer, I doubt he is eligible to be tried on civil rights violations.

[femmocrat]

3. IMO, Holder isn't going to touch this.

He wouldn't even do anything on voter ID laws. He's no Al Sharpton when it comes to civil rights.

[geek tragedy]

15. Holder has been quite active on voter ID laws. nt

[femmocrat]

17. Guess I missed that.

Well, he coulda done more! LOL

[geek tragedy]

21. Eh?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/eric-holder-voter-id-poll-tax_n_1662847.html

Eric Holder: Voter ID Laws Are 'Poll Taxes'

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/23/us-pennsylvania-voter-idUSBRE86M1F520120723


http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-03-12/politics/35450319_1_voter-id-laws-library-card-or-board-combat-voter-fraud

http://www.naacp.org/news/entry/doj-blocks-south-carolina-voter-id-law

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/02/us-usa-campaign-mississippi-idUSBRE8911BE20121002

[meow2u3]

23. Holder is very good regarding civil rights cases

He went after the 21st century poll tax laws, better known as voter photo ID laws, for one. IMO, he'll be more likely than not to pursue an investigation into civil rights violations.

[femmocrat]

24. Were any struck down?

We are still fighting the battle in PA. It is currently in the state courts. I understand that the feds get involved in states that have a history of discrimination at the polls. I would hope the Justice Dept. would look at attempts to extend voter suppression in non-traditional states as well.

[byeya]

4. It'll be a federal case in fedeal court under federal law

[GoneFishin]

5. This is about average people's lives. Beneath him. He won't touch it.

[byeya]

19. + +

[pipoman]

6. What would the actual charge be?

"civil rights" can only be violated by government..

[CanonRay]

7. Eric Holder prosecute? Seriously?

You are kidding, right. Mr. Ballless won't touch it with a ten foot pole. C'mon Eric, prove me wrong.

[abelenkpe]

9. We're expecting Eric Holder to do something about an obvious injustice? Nt

[MoonRiver]

10. You and others may be correct, but I choose to at least try!

What's the point of simply rolling over and playing dead?

[City Lights]

11. Why do you think Holder might prosecute GZ?

I see Hell freezing over first.

[MoonRiver]

12. Because if I'm remembering correctly he stated before the trial that he would consider doing it.

[City Lights]

13. Oh, I didn't know that.

I hope he does, but I won't hold my breath.

[MoonRiver]

14. The more pressure he gets the more likely he, and Obama, will take action.

I definitely don't' think they can just stay silent. But who knows!

[fadedrose]

16. I think they'd start at the beginning

with the profiling that started the whole tragedy....no profiling, no following, no confrontation, no nothing....

I wish the parents a lot of luck. I think if they asked for funds to sue GZ, they'd get donations pretty quick...

I hope nobody hurts him so that he could live a long time in absolute poverty, him and his smart-ass brother, "Look what he (Trayvon) did to my brother!", he told Piers Morgan. What a couple of pigs they are.

[LittleBlue]

18. This is never going to happen

It's yet another fantasy speculation created by the media.

[byeya]

20. There have been many federal civil rights cases like this one prosecuted in federal

courts in the south.
Martin was deprived of his most basic right: the right to life.

I think the Alabama bombing of the church which killed four girls ended up in federal court. (edit: This was a local prosecution with the case opened after it was revealed the FBI, with J Edgar Hoover named, suppressed evidence. Convictions were obtained and those convicted died in jail - the incident was in 1963)
The Klan ambush of the peaceful march by the SWP in Greensboro, NC, saw individual civil rights suits over the shootings.

[dairydog91]

22. It would be a weird case.

What federal statute are they accusing Zimmerman of violating? Most of the civil rights statutes I worked with (Years ago, as a legal intern) dealt with states violating civil rights, and Congress may regulate those actions under the 14th Amendment.

Also, a federal prosecution of an individual defendant for an "ordinary" criminal act that occurred entirely within one state, with no interstate "hook", sounds an awful lot like a Morrison or Lopez situation, i.e. SCOTUS might dump it on the grounds that the law can't be justified as an exercise of an enumerated power.

[byeya]

25. One possibility would be to try and bring it to fed. court as a hate crime