George Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, CNN reported. The charges for the 28-year-old Florida neighborhood watch volunteer, who had been in hiding, came yesterday. Zimmerman turned himself in, his new lawyer told CNN legal analyst Mark NeJame.
After Zimmerman turned himself in, he was transported to the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, police said. He was escorted into the center by officers. Sheriff Donald F. Eslinger said officials are still deciding whether he will be held in the general inmate population. Authorities and Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, said a hearing is expected for today.
Prosecutor Angela Corey announced that the charges against Zimmerman were filed. She said it was her job to find out the truth about the February 26 shooting. “It is the search for justice for (Trayvon) that has brought us to this moment,” she said. “We did not come to this decision lightly.”
While Zimmerman has been claiming the shooting was self-defense, there has still been an uproar over the fact that Sanford police didn’t initially charge him. There has also been questions about Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which lets people who feel a reasonable threat of death or serious injury use deadly force.
After the charges were filed, Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, said “We simply wanted an arrest; we wanted nothing more, nothing less.” Martin’s father, Tracy, said “we will continue to walk by faith…We will march until the right this is done.”
Written by: Karen Benardello
