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George Zimmerman will not face US civil rights charges | George Zimmerman will not face US civil rights charges |
(about 3 hours later) | |
George Zimmerman will not face federal civil rights charges over the death of black teenager Trayvon Martin. | George Zimmerman will not face federal civil rights charges over the death of black teenager Trayvon Martin. |
Attorney General Eric Holder said Martin's death was a "devastating tragedy" but the "high standard" for hate crime charges could not be met. | Attorney General Eric Holder said Martin's death was a "devastating tragedy" but the "high standard" for hate crime charges could not be met. |
Mr Zimmerman shot and killed an unarmed Martin in Florida in 2012 but was found not guilty of murder at trial. | Mr Zimmerman shot and killed an unarmed Martin in Florida in 2012 but was found not guilty of murder at trial. |
The case sparked a fierce debate about racial profiling and self-defence laws in the US. | The case sparked a fierce debate about racial profiling and self-defence laws in the US. |
Since the trial, Mr Zimmerman has been repeatedly in trouble with the law, arrested twice for assault. Both charges were dropped. | |
His lawyer Don West told the BBC he was relieved by the decision: "He was never able to relax completely until now." | |
Lawyers for the Florida man argued he had killed Trayvon Martin in self-defence after a confrontation. | Lawyers for the Florida man argued he had killed Trayvon Martin in self-defence after a confrontation. |
But prosecutors said Mr Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch volunteer, presumed Martin was suspicious, followed him with a gun and "wanted" to kill him. | But prosecutors said Mr Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch volunteer, presumed Martin was suspicious, followed him with a gun and "wanted" to kill him. |
Martin had been walking back from a convenience stores to a family member's house when he was killed. | Martin had been walking back from a convenience stores to a family member's house when he was killed. |
"We, as a nation, must take concrete steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future," Mr Holder said in a statement. | "We, as a nation, must take concrete steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future," Mr Holder said in a statement. |
But he said the department's investigation did not show sufficient evidence that Mr Zimmerman wilfully deprived Trayvon Martin of his civil rights. | But he said the department's investigation did not show sufficient evidence that Mr Zimmerman wilfully deprived Trayvon Martin of his civil rights. |
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