On Tuesday, the Department of Justice announced it would not press federal civil rights charges against George Zimmerman for shooting and killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the investigation determined that there was not enough evidence to prosecute Zimmerman for a federal hate crime. The investigation is now closed.
“The death of Trayvon Martin was a devastating tragedy,” Holder said in the announcement. “It shook an entire community, drew the attention of millions across the nation, and sparked a painful but necessary dialogue throughout the country.”
Avvo legal analyst Lisa Bloom covered the Zimmerman trial extensively, both on the NakedLaw blog and in her book Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It. Lisa has argued that the prosecution failed to advocate for Martin due to implicit racial biases, and has covered the tragically similar shootings of Mike Brown, Renisha McBride, Jordan Davis and other unarmed black victims.
Read on for Lisa’s reaction to yesterday’s announcement.
I guess Zimmerman will never have to explain how Trayvon saw a gun holstered inside his waistband, behind him, while Z was on his back
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
DOJ announcing no federal charges against George Zimmerman, as I predicted in my book Suspicion Nation. Fed law narrow and limited.
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
To convict Zimmerman under fed hate crimes law, govt would have had to prove beyond a reas doubt he killed Trayvon because of race.
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
Zimmerman, as a private citizen, is subject to different laws than police who can be prosecuted more easily under fed law.
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
If you’ve read my book you know I am outraged by the prosecution’s failure in the Zimmerman trial, rooted in implicit racial biases.
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
From Trayvon Martin to Mike Brown, prosecutors somehow just *forget* how to advocate for the victim. http://t.co/8GASVXmNlJ
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
RELATED: Avvo legal analyst Lisa Bloom covers Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to indict
"We will never forget what happened to Trayvon and will honor his memory by working tirelessly to make the world a better place" TM's family
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
"Please use my tragedy, please use my broken heart to say to yourself, 'we cannot let this happen to anybody else's child.'" @SybrinaFulton
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 24, 2015
It did not begin or end with Trayvon, but the attention to his case woke many up to evils of racial bias, gun violence & Stand Your Ground.
— Lisa Bloom (@LisaBloom) February 26, 2015
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Avvo.
