FBI Seeks to Charge Zimmerman with Hate crime

This is very serious, but I don't think it will happen.. To me its a real stretch.


http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/fbi-seeks-charge-george-zimmerman-hate-crime/nN5pR/

SANFORD, Fla. —


WFTV has learned charges against George Zimmerman could be getting more serious.

State prosecutors said Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, profiled and stalked 17-year-old Trayvon Martin before killing him, so the FBI is now looking into charging him with a hate crime.

Zimmerman admitted to killing Martin in February during a confrontation. However, he claims the shooting was in self-defense. He's facing a second-degree murder charge, which carries a maximum possible sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In the meantime, FBI investigators are actively questioning witnesses in the retreat at the Twin Lakes neighborhood, seeking evidence for a possible federal hate crime charge.

Martin was unarmed when he was shot to death, police said, and some accuse Zimmerman of targeting the teenager solely because of the color of his skin.

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said federal prosecutors would have to prove the hate crime to charge Zimmerman, though.

“What the government would have to prove is that Mr. Zimmerman acted out of hatred toward African-Americans. That's why he came into contact with him. That's why he shot and killed him.”

Sheaffer said a federal hate crime murder charge could bring more serious consequences than the second-degree murder charge Zimmerman faces now.

“Mr. Zimmerman could be punished by up to life in prison or even the death penalty,” said Sheaffer.

Zimmerman said he used deadly force in self-defense after Martin punched him, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly slammed his head against a sidewalk.

Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, said he has yet to receive the first delivery of documents revealing the details of the prosecution's evidence against his client, but it could come at any time.

Prosecutors are required to release that information to the defense and the public

However, O'Mara, wants Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. to keep some of the key evidence, especially witness statements, out of the public eye by writing a motion to keep it sealed.

O'Mara posted a statement on Zimmerman's website that said, "We doubt any of them (witnesses) enjoy the scrutiny they are under due to the coincidence of their involvement in such a high-profile matter."

 

Fyi..............

 

The Holder Justice Department is looking more racist all the time. Forst they refuse to try an open and shut case against the NBPP for voter intimidation, and now they are going after Zimmerman who was over charged with 2nd degree murder and will not be convicted of because of that, and now the "Keystone Prosecutors" of the Holder Justice department are going to go after hate crime? Stupid is as stupid does. It was a crime, hate is irrelevant, and so are the leftist loser political correct imbeciles of the O'Bama (mis) Administration.

 

I think this will boil down to EVIDENCE.. I don't see any evidence of a hate crime, but who knows what the FBI has uncovered.

 

They have uncovered an incompetent politically correct agenda, and nothing else. Obama and Holder are trying to look like crime fighers and justice seekers. Anyone who is paying attention knows thats not true, quite the contrary.

 

You mean the SPD.. No question that they were incompetent.

Do you think Holder micromanages every FBI investigation?

 

This is known as the politicizing of justice.

Obama hacks want to send a political statement and they are using the Justice Department to do it.

The FBI btw only investigates, they don't charge anybody with anything.

 

The stanford police is totally incompetent, and so is the county prosecutor.

In a case like this, yes.

 

You mean Norm Wolfzinger? He's had LOTS of cases reversed..

 

It was a racial hate-crime covered-up by an entire racist police dept ... no different than Mississippi Burning ... that's what right-wing wackos get for calling Zimmerman *white* ...

 

Then the SPD should be the FBI focus, not Zimmerman.

Ignoring witnesses would be considered serious incompetence.

 

...you mean even the black man who was the assistent police cheif...

Get real. They were not racist. they are incompetent and thats it. This thing was botched from the get go.

 

To be fair.. they are also investigating Sherrif Arapio for corruption and civil rights violations.

 

That Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee came under fire, then quit ... is ample proof that this was going federal ... further, the new (interim) police chief has embarked on some kind of *community organization*


New Sanford, Fla., police chief aims to ease racial tensions

4 days ago

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation...f-race-relations-trayvon-zimmerman/54862188/1


The interim police chief taking over the Florida city force embroiled in controversy from the Trayvon Martin killing told USA TODAY that he wants to improve race relations between his officers and the African-American community.

Former Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee stepped down amid strong criticism for his handling of the Feb. 26 shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Richard Myers, 58, took over the chief's job on Thursday, replacing Bill Lee, who is on leave amid strong criticism for his handling of the Feb. 26 shooting of Trayvon.
The 17-year-old was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman, who prosecutors say racially profiled Trayvon because he was black.

The case has put Sanford, pop. 54,000, and its police force in the national spotlight.
Myers says he wants to bring public confidence back.

"It's apparent to me that there is some tension here between the African-American community and the police," said Myers, who has met with officers, City Council members and local community leaders.
"I think both the community and people of the police department want to improve that. I'm going to do whatever I can to help facilitate strengthening that connection."



So far, Myers, who anticipates that he'll be briefed on the details of the Trayvon Martin case in the next two weeks, says he's not sure exactly how he'll deal with racial issues.

He says he's leaving some of that up to residents and officers who he says will be key in developing a plan of action.

Myers also plans to look into policies affecting neighborhood watch groups and their relationship with the police department.


"I've never heard of a neighborhood watch program that authorizes people to carry guns," he said.
"If you're only being the eyes and ears of the police, why do you need protection?"


Trayvon was shot and killed as he was returning to a gated community.
His family says he was followed and then killed because Zimmerman deemed him "suspicious" because the teen was black and wearing a hoodie.

Zimmerman, 28, whose father is white and whose mother is Hispanic, says he shot Trayvon in self-defense.

 

That is fair, but they are wrong in both cases. Both are political calculations and have nothing to do with truth or justice.

 

He's an odd duck.. He was the dean of Seminole College before he was police chief.

 

Arapaio? Are you kidding me?

 

That proves nothing, it means that the police cheif knew he screwed the pooch and quit from shame. If he had conducted a complete investigation and made the right call based on the evidence, instead of following the path of least resistence he would still have a job, a reputation, and we would never have heard of Zimmerman or Martin and gone on happily with our lives.

 

There's a dead US Border agent thanks to an incompetent US attorney general that didn't resign in shame.

 

No. I never kid. What has he done? Enforced the law? Oh the audasity of that sheriff to do what he can to make sure that illegel aliens STFO of our country that they are bleeding dry.

 

Just because he has not resigned does not reduce the shame of his imcompetence, his boss is the same kind of racist person.

 

It doesn't reduce his shame as far as I'm concerned.

Holder and Obama are black racists with a grudge against white people and their handling of the TM incident proves it.

 

There's thousands of dead Iraqi children dead because an incompetent President didn't resign in shame.

 

Orando Sentinel just reported on the witness list.. Its HUGE.

 

Most of the dead Iraqi children were killed by other Iraqi's.

And under a previous president than the one we have now.

I'm dealing with the present while you are stuck in the past.