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Special prosecutor will not use grand jury in Trayvon Martin investigation
[Updated at 12:11 p.m. ET] State Attorney Angela Corey, appointed as a special prosecutor in the February shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, has decided against sending the case to a grand jury, her office said Monday.
"The decision should not be considered a factor in the final determination of the case," Corey's office said in a statement.
The grand jury, set to convene on Tuesday, was previously scheduled by the former prosecutor.
Corey previously said she has not used grand jury's in cases like this and added that from the time she was appointed she said she may not need a grand jury.
The decision about whether or not to charge George Zimmerman in the case now rests with prosecutors.
"At this time, the investigation continues and there will be no further comment from this office," in the statement.
The decision means that the timetable for any possible charges remains up in the air.
"We had hoped she had enough evidence without the need to convene a grand jury,” Ben Crump, the attorney for the Martin family said about Corey. “The family is trying to have patience and faith through all of this."
Crump said they are hoping for charges and an arrest as soon as possible.
"We know we want that day to come,” Crump said. “We want a very public trial so the evidence can come out and show people that the justice system works for everybody."
Crump added that he believed the evidence that has come out has “made it clear” that charges should be filed, without the need of a grand jury.
George Zimmerman's new attorney, Hal Uhrig, told CNN that he was "not surprised" by the announcement.
Uhrig said he doesn't know what her ultimate decision will be but that the move to go without a grand jury is a "courageous move on her part."
Martin ventured out from his father's fiancee's home in Sanford to get a snack at a nearby convenience store. As he walked home with a bag of Skittles and an Arizona iced tea, he was shot and killed by Zimmerman.
Sanford police questioned Zimmerman and released him without charges.
From there, the case has evolved into opposing allegations from Zimmerman's supporters, Martin's family and authorities.
Zimmerman says he killed Martin in self-defense after the teen punched him and slammed his head on the sidewalk, according to an Orlando Sentinel report that was later confirmed by Sanford police.
The case has triggered a nationwide debate about Florida's "stand your ground" law - which allows people to use deadly force anywhere they feel a reasonable threat of death or serious injury - and race in America.
On Twitter
Why do I somehow think that a pudgy 28 year old wannabe cop could not have caught a running 17 year old athlete. By the way, how big was Martin? I've read everything from a slim 140 pounds to 6 foot four and 210. Zimmerman had no business trailing or chasing Martin but what if he's telling the truth?
very simple conclusion here......Zimmerman will be charged without grand jury. anything else would lead to all out race war
Martin is 6 foot 3 and 210 lbs – muscular athletic build.
The bottom line, Zimmerman grap the kid, he swong and hit him drop him to the floor, started kicking him ZIMMERMAN Took out his gun and shot him..... thats how it happend
If Zimmerman is telling the truth, then a teenager packing a bag of skittles rightly feared he was being stalked by a stranger with a gun who did in fact end up killing him. That's best case for Zimmerman. Should he be convicted? Not my job to say. But he sure as hell should be charged and tried.
Absolutely nothing has cast doubt on whether Zimmerman was telling the truth. All of the evidence corroborates Zimmerman's version of events. If people want to protest nd change the Stand Your Ground law, then I wish them luck (they'll need it). However, people have to accept that Zimmerman was acting legally under Florida law.
Blacks attack and kill whites every single day, without it turning into a national hate crime case. I am sick of this case, already.
Where? When? Who? Please!!!!
When black people commit crimes they are charged for it. Big difference yahoo.
Believe it or not most blacks commit crime against blacks. Yes I am black. This is more than a race issue. This is a kid that was killed for walking down a public street. He was not commiting a crime. He defended himself and got killed by the perpetrator.
With that point of view, I can't imagine why you are even bothering commenting...or are you just looking for support or others that feel like you? sick of it?....then go away
And they are in jail
Uhm... not sure that happens as much as you think. And, even if it does, why is this anything more that a self appointed knicklehead killing a teenager who was doing nothing... repeat, nothing... wrong and yet somehow not being charged because the armed knucklehead who was stalking the kid felt "threatened'? That doesn't bother you?
@Honestly.: Every single day, really? You have daily examples of armed, Black adults killing teenage White kids everyday? How about one day, or even one instance? The case is getting a lot of media coverage, perhaps too much, but that is a media issue. This should not minimize the core issues associated with this case, namely permissible arms usage, use of deadly force on an unarmed minor, and potential profiling. I would hope to get this much attention and associated transparency if this were my son.
NO CHARGES, THIS KID WAS NO ANGEL.
So it's ok to kill him? Are YOU an angel? (I know the answer to that already)
"NO CHARGES, THIS KID WAS NO ANGEL."
Are you implying that on perfect citizens deserve to be protected by the law?
BS. You don't know that and it has no bearing on what happened.
What do you mean, he was no angel. Was he commiting a crime at this time. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Therefore no justification for his murder.
Huh. So, without even attending a trial, you have enough information to feel sure that Martin deserved summary execution, even if he wasn't doing anything at the time? I hope no one makes a similar snap judgement about you or someone you love.
Just another reason I Left Florida. No justice, bigotry, vigilantism..... what a mess
agreed
Florida is probably the worst state in the nation. after, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia...well, the entire south.
So many of you say he killed Martin in cold blood. I didn't know you were there that night. Did you fill out a Police statement as a witness?
And where were you, Bob? You seem to feel like you have enough info to be confident the unarmed kid had it coming. All most of us are saying (and I think this is what the vast majority of Americans believe) is that is an armed adult chases down and then ends up killing a unarmed teenager who is walking home, the guy that did the shooting needs to be charged.
The problem is that "stand your ground law", not the race of the individuals.
It is a dangerous law and it should be repealed ASAP
I agree with you 100%. The problem is with Florida's "stand your ground" law.
How can one support Zimmerman. Not once has anyone indicated that Trayvon was breaking the law. HE WAS WALKING DOWN A PUBLIC STREET. HE DID NOT FOLLOW OR APPROACH ZIMMERMAN. If the kid was engaged in an illegal activity then I would be more willing to hear the Zimmerman defense. This child was minding his own business, walking, carrying skittles and a beverage. That is not a reason to approach and kill this kid. If anything this kid was defending himself and the perpetrator killed him.
They rarely spend time and money to build a case against a dead person. What would you want them to then do, hold a long trail against Trayvon?
It was not a public street...it was a gated community that Martin did not live in. He was a guest and should have just told Zimmerman that.
WARNING!
Be very aware of your surroundings the day they decide there will be no charges files against GZ
If your too young Google Reginald Denny
Oooooohhhhh....I'm really scared.........bring it on p i g.............I'm carrying.
You're the exact reason why people (like you) should not be allowed to own guns.
WARNING? ....Sooo scared!
I would like ANYONE that spouts off about the "evidence" in this case to show us that evidence. So far none of us have seen any.
there is plenty of evidence, including the 911 calls,including zimmermans, the video after the incident, the friend that was on the phone with martin, the witnesses that heard the sounds, and scuffle of the incident and the 13 yr old that saw someone on the ground screaming while walking his pet!!!! that is the evidence that the state attorney is looking at, not the fact that the police department and how it the handled, or not handled, the shooting is all evidence that is being studied.!!!!!!!
This is such a miscarriage of justice. This guy needs to be arrested ASAP. Let him explain to a judge and a jury what happened. Since when do cops on the scene of a murder decide these things? Oh yeah. Because it was just a black kid. Sick! And you people defaming the dead are horrible. He was a kid!
Can you even read or did you just choose not to educate yourself before making a conclusion? The cops didn't make the decision not to charge Zimmerman, the prosecutor did. After carefully reviewing the evidence, they decided they the could not disprove Zimmerman's self-defense claim. That is the standard by which all prosecutors are supposed to make their decisions to charge someone with a crime, as we are all innocent until PROVEN GUILTY in a court of law. Stop attacking our judicial tradition.
The little thug, who was suspended for vandalism and was under investigation for jewelry theft, was scoping out houses to rob and even stole the skittles he was in position of. Bottom line. He physically assaulted Zimmerman (who, while he was overzealous, didn't LAY A HAND on Martin until he was ATTACKED FIRST).
You don't go around PHYSICALLY ASSAULTING people because you think they've wronged you. That GHETTO, JUNGLE mentality doesn't work in first world societies. If Martin was white, and Zimmerman defended himself like he did, nobody would be questioning it because whites are expected to not physically assault people. That's the bar everyone who wants to be considered "equal" should be measured by.
You are a perfect example of why racism still exists today, your ignorant and sterotypical comments are the typical reactions of a bonified racist. How do you know the skittles were stolen? I suppose if the kid was white walking in that same neighborhood with a hoodie and some skittles, your perception of him would have been quite different.
What are you talking about Will? There have been no reports that this kid was doing anything illegal. Zimmerman himself, never mentioned an illegal act. The child was walking down the street, period!!!!
Bjamil that is a load of BS this picture looks nothing like the newest ones that CNN refuses to show because they would rather fuel a race war by making Zimmerman white and this kid younger than he actually is.
Zimmerman however is enjoy his new digs in Equitorial Guinea, where they speak Spanish and have not extradition treaty with the US.
*no extradition treaty.
I mean he's basically disappeared, why not go somewhere like that if you can, when your facing the possibility of life behind bars.
Any man 17 years old... who decides to punch another person for asking them "what's your name" or "what are you doing around here"... deserves whatever he gets... whether it be jail time for assault, or a bullet from a scared victim... they deserve whatever their angry-tough backside gets.
YOU will be called as a witness
Just delayed is justice denied.