Thursday is the third anniversary of Martin’s death, and the Department of Justice has a sad announcement.
The Department of Justice is planning to announce it will not file federal civil rights charges against George Zimmerman. Zimmerman shot and killed unarmed 17 year old Trayvon Martin in Sandford, Florida, sparking protests all over the country. His trial began June 10, 2013, and he was ultimately acquitted of second degree murder and manslaughter July 13, 2013.
According to Fox News, Senior U.S. government officials confirmed they are planning an announcement.
Federal prosecutors claim they don’t have enought evidence to prove Zimmerman intentionally violated the civil rights of Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman has had several encounters with law enforcement since the shooting death of Martin. On September 9, 2013 police were called in Lake Mary, Florida by his estranged wife, who said Zimmerman threatened her and her father with a gun, and assaulted her father. No gun was found at the house; Zimmerman was detained and questioned by police. His wife refused to press charges, a choice she later regretted.
On November 18, 2013 another call went in to the police; this time from Zimmerman’s girlfriend, who stated after she asked Zimmerman to leave her home, he pointed a shotgun at her and broke her belongings. He was charged with aggravated assault with a weapon, which is a felony. He was also charged with domestic violence battery and criminal mischief. A month later, the girlfriend asked for the charges to be dropped, and the restraining order she had on him be lifted.
In the most recent case, Zimmerman was arrested on January 9, 2015, and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon after he threw a bottle of wine at his ex girlfriend. The charges were dropped after she withdrew her story.
