Shooting victim’s family demands reports review
ATTORNEYS for the family of a black teenager shot dead by a neighbourhood watch captain are asking the US Justice Department to review reports that prosecutors undermined a police investigation of the shooter.
The Justice Department’s civil rights division has already agreed to review the local Florida investigat i on into the racially charged case.
Waves of demonstrations have called for the arrest of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February.
Lawyers for the victim’s family are preparing a formal request to the federal government to investigate the specific report that state attorney prosecutors interfered when a homicide detective wanted to charge Mr Zimmerman with manslaughter.
Mr Zimmerman, 28, who is half white and half Hispanic, shot dead the 17year-old in a gated community in the city of Sanford after finding him suspicious and following him. He has disappeared from public view, but relatives claim he feared for his life when he shot the unarmed youth.
Police declined to arrest him, citing Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which permits citizens to use deadly force when they feel threatened with death or great bodily harm.
Sanford police detective Chris Serino, unconvinced by Mr Zimmerman’s story of self-defence, wanted to charge him with manslaughter but was overruled by the office of State Attorney Norm Wolfinger, the prosecutor whose district includes Sanford.
Mr wolfinger has declined to comment since removing himself from the case on March 22. His replacement, Angela Corey, has yet to say if she intends to charge Mr Zimmerman, who remains free but in hiding.
Alaw enforcement source claimed Mr Serino was eager to make a case but encountered resistance from the prosecutor.
“Chris would have made a recommendation for manslaughter but Norm Wolfinger’s office wanted it to be a slam dunk,” the source said. “They don’t want to hear that this is wrong or that is wrong with the case. That’s the way this county does business.”