Trayvon Martin Case Goes Before Grand Jury in April
The Trayvon Martin case will be presented before a grand jury in central Florida next month, following reports that the teenager may have been murdered, according to new reports.
On Tuesday, State Attorney Norm Wolfinger, confirmed that he was sending the case to a grand jury for further investigation.
"I share in the desire of the family and the community to accurately collect and evaluate all the facts surrounding the tragic death of Trayvon Martin," Wolfinger said in a recent news release.
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Wolfinger explained that he will use the grand jury's "investigative resources" before moving forward with the case, and grand jurors are expected to be called in to session on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, according to MSNBC.
The news follows reports that The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI both plan to open an investigation into the shooting death of 17-year-old African-American student, Trayvon Martin.
The DOJ said that it would team up with FBI agents to "conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation" in a statement on Monday.
"With all federal civil rights crimes, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids- the highest level of intent in criminal law," the statement added.
The case sparked public outrage after it was revealed that neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman shot and killed Martin, who was completely unarmed, outside of his Sanford, Fla. home on Feb. 26.
Zimmerman, 28, claimed self defense and although 911 calls and witnesses reveal that Martin was simply walking home from the local store and that his shooting was unprovoked, Zimmerman has not been arrested or charged with any crime.
Zimmerman, who followed the young teen even after law enforcement instructed him not to, has been accused of killing Martin in what was described as an unprovoked attack.
"This guy looks like he's up to no good, or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about. These [expletives]. They always get away," a heated Zimmerman told 911 dispatchers.
Martin was found dead with candy in his possession, and critics have suggested that Zimmerman's assertion that the teen looked dangerous was simply the result of racism.
Various community leaders including Rev. Al Sharpton are calling for justice for the Martin family, and a rally has been scheduled for Thursday.
