Lawyer for slain teenager Trayvon Martin’s family expects state charges against gunman
An attorney for the family of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin on Saturday shed light on his legal team’s strategy, the status of state and federal investigations and the outpouring of support for the case.
In a wide-ranging interview with board members of the National Association of Black Journalists, conducted via Skype, attorney Daryl D. Parks said that after separate meetings with federal and state authorities, he doubts Travyon’s killer will be indicted with a federal hate crime.
However, Parks said he is increasingly hopeful that the gunman, George Zimmerman, will face state criminal charges. The 17-year-old Trayvon was killed Feb. 26 as he returned from a trip to a convenience store to his father’s fiance’s house in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. Unarmed, carrying Skittles candy and iced tea and wearing a hooded sweatshirt, he was spotted by Zimmerman, 28, a captain of the community’s neighborhood watch.
In 911 tapes released by Sanford police, Zimmerman tells the operator that Trayvon was suspicious and appeared to be drugged. Zimmerman then pursued Trayvon on foot and after a struggle shot and killed the teenager, according to police.Police say Zimmerman was not arrested because there was no evidence disputing his claim of self defense, prompting national outcry for state and federal officials to level charges.
http://www.nabj.org/
