A day after the Department of Justice announced they would not be filing charges against George Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin, the teen’s mother said she believes the former neighborhood watch volunteer got away with murder.
Thursday marked the third anniversary of the 17-year-old’s death.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Sybrina Fulton expressed her disappointment with federal prosecutors for deciding to close the case. On Tuesday, the DOJ said it found insufficient evidence to establish Zimmerman deprived the Florida teenager of his rights, or that the fatal shooting was racially motivated.
“He took a life, carelessly and recklessly, and he shouldn’t deserve to have his entire life walking around on the street free. I just believe that he should be held accountable for what he’s done,” Fulton said.
“The Justice Department is the top of the line here,” Fulton said. “But what they found just wasn’t enough.”
Zimmerman, who was acquitted of manslaughter and murder in July 2013, maintains that he shot the unarmed teenager in self-defense. If you recall, Zimmerman confronted Trayvon as he was returning to his father’s house in Sanford, Fl. after purchasing candy and an Arizona iced-tea at a convenience store. The neighborhood watchman called 911 to report a suspicious person and followed the teenager, though the 911 dispatcher advised against it.
According to Zimmerman’s attorney, the 30-year-old is relieved the case has finally come to a close.
“This cloud he was under has been lifted,” Don West told the AP, adding that he finds it misleading to suggest that charges weren’t filed only because the legal standard for federal hate crime is so tough to meet.
“There simply was never any compelling evidence that this was a federal hate crime. Race played no role in it whatsoever,” West said.
Fulton feels differently.
“I want to see people held accountable for what they’re doing. It’s just upsetting to know that a person can shoot and kill someone and justify it,” Fulton said.
That goes for both her son’s killing and cases that are currently being handled by the Justice Department, including the shooting of Michael Brown Jr. at the hands of a Ferguson, Mo. police officer.
“What we want is accountability, we want somebody to be arrested, we want somebody to go to jail, of course,” Fulton said. “But … we have grand juries and special grand juries; they’re making a decision to not even arrest a person.”
Trayvon would have turned 20 on Feb. 5.
SOURCE: Huffington Post | VIDEO SOURCE: News Inc.
