By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services
Even if George Zimmerman is charged in the death of Trayvon Martin, getting a conviction would be "more difficult than a normal criminal case," the prosecutor reviewing the evidence said Monday.
Zimmerman's attorney, Craig Sonner, has indicated they will invoke Florida's "stand-your-ground" law, which provides significant leeway for someone to use deadly force if they feel their life is in danger. He says Zimmerman suffered a broken nose and a gash to the back of his head as a result of his encounter with Martin.
"The stand-your-ground law is one portion of justifiable use of deadly force," prosecutor Angela Corey told ABC News. "And what that means is that the state must go forward and be able to prove it's case beyond a reasonable doubt ... So it makes the case in general more difficult than a normal criminal case."
Corey added that it's also not clear whether prosecuting the death as a hate crime would lead to a conviction. Martin, 17, was black; Zimmerman, 28, is Hispanic.
"It would depend on which charge, if any, we're able to file," said Corey, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to review the case. "Before we would be able to determine, one, if this is a hate crime, and two, whether or not that would enhance the crime."
Sonner, Zimmerman's attorney, told NBC's TODAY show on Monday that "George Zimmerman is absolutely not a racist." And Joe Oliver, a friend of Zimmerman, described him on the show as being "dedicated," not obsessed, with his duties as neighborhood watch captain.
On Sunday, Oliver said that "I'm a black male and all that I know is that George has never given me any reason whatsoever to believe he has anything against people of color.''
Also Sunday, Dateline NBC aired an interview with a woman who said she and her roommate heard and saw the last moments of Martin's life. |
