Zimmerman Acquittal Of Martin's Death Leads To USDOJ Civil Rights Violation Inquiry

George Zimmerman

Department of Justice reopens its investigation to determine whether Zimmerman violated Martin's civil rights by killing him during confrontation in 2012. 

By H. Nelson Goodson

July 14, 2013

Sanford, Florida - On Saturday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that it has reopen its investigation and is reviewing the Trayvon Martin, 17, murder case, which George Zimmerman, 29, was acquitted of second degree murder and a lesser charge of manslaughter. Since the case ended, the DOJ will now determine, if Zimmerman violated Martin's civil rights. 

Zimmerman killed Martin in February 2012, after he followed Martin who was unarmed, instigated a confrontation and killed the teenager and used the Stand Your Ground law for defense.

In a statement the DOJ says, "As the Department first acknowledged last year, we have an open investigation into the death of Trayvon Martin. The Department of Justice's Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division, the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continue to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation, as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial. Experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation of any of the limited federal criminal civil rights statutes within our jurisdiction, and whether federal prosecution is appropriate in accordance with the Department's policy governing successive federal prosecution following a state trial."