Six weeks following the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, protests and public outrage have resulted in state and federal involvement in the case in which the Sanford Police Department failed to arrest or charge Zimmerman with a crime.
Today, Florida State Attorney Angela Corey scheduled a press conference for 6 p.m. Eastern to make an announcement regarding whether Zimmerman will be charged with a crime in connection with the shooting. Trayvon Martin’s parents plan to make a statement following Angela Corey’s announcement.
Angela Corey reports that Zimmerman will be charged with murder in the second degree. She emphasized that prosecution is based on the facts of the case, not public pressure. Zimmerman is in custody, having turned himself in.
Corey deflected questions about why it has taken so long to arrive at the decision to arrest George Zimmerman. She said her team arrived at the decision last week, but that procedures delayed the announcement and arrest until today. Zimmerman is currently being held without bond. He will have the opportunity to have a bond hearing, at which time it will be decided whether he can bond out.
Angela Corey, as expected, continued to cover for the botch job of the Sanford Police Department’s mishandling of the case. She said that the investigation was well under way when the case was passed to her.
Angela Corey insists that she did not speak with Zimmerman by phone, as was widely reported in the media yesterday by Zimmerman’s former attorneys. Seminole County is currently the venue for the trial, but whether the trial will actually be held there is unclear now. It will depend on whether they feel they can find a fair and impartial jury in Seminole County.
Angela Corey said that it was not unusual that the Sandford Police Department did not make an arrest. She mentioned that there are numerous homicide cases in which an immediate arrest was not made.
Sybrina Fulton started her remarks with thanking God. She said a hear has no color and she wanted to thank everyone.
Tracy Martin, Trayvon’s father thanked everyone for being passionate about the fight for justice. He says that he will continue to walk by faith with people of all colors until the right thing is done.
Attorney Parks spent his time at the podium commending the shiftless Sanford government who caused this debacle in the first place.
Watch Angela Corey’s press conference below:
The parents of Trayvon Martin and their attorney Benjamin Crump, accompanied by Al Sharpton, called a press conference to give their remarks on Angela Corey’s announcement that George Zimmerman will be charged with 2nd degree murder for killing Trayvon.
Al Sharpton attributed the charge to the pressure that the nameless, faceless, people of all colors who wore hoodies and brought attention to the case. He reminded people that “we have not won anything. […] So we will not be gloating around here.”
Attorney Benjamin Crump thanked the people who signed the Change.org petition. He thanked the young people who believed in “the concept, the idea, the dream of justice.” He thanked Governor Rick Scott, who appointed Special Prosecutor Angela Corey, whose team brought the charges. He reiterated that the decision to bring charges was based on the evidence of the case, not public pressure.
Crump recounted how Tracy Martin was told by the Chief Police Bill Lee that there would be no charges in the case, which caused them to have to pursue this case further. He impressed that this is only first base and said that “we have to deal with this ‘stand your ground’” issue. It is only the beginning.
Crump emphasized that he wanted people to be peaceful and that he will address the stand your ground law. He wants to change the aspect of the law where the person is the aggressor and kills someone, then claims the law. He wants that to end.
Attorney Parks spent his time at the podium thanking all of the Sanford Florida government officials who contributed to this debacle in the first place.
Watch the press conference by Trayvon Martin’s parents and Zimmerman’s new attorney below:
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