Zimmerman Charged
April 11, 2012: Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey announced that George Zimmerman has been charged with second degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin. Corey said that Zimmerman turned himself in, and is in custody at an undisclosed location. According to
ABC News, he is at Orange County Jail in Orlando. "Let me emphasize that we do not prosecute by public pressure or by petition. We prosecute by the facts of any given case, as well as the laws of the state of Florida," Corey said during the announcement, and added that Zimmerman would appear before a Seminole County magistrate within 24 hours.
A charge of second degree murder a killing that occurs without premeditation carries a maximum sentence of life in prison in the state of Florida. According to
CNN legal analyst Mark NeJame, Zimmerman will be represented by Orlando attorney
Mark O'Mara.
An hour prior to Corey's announcement, Florida governor Rick Scott issued a statement, "We are fortunate in our state that most Floridians and local civic leaders are law-abiding, responsible citizens who all want justice to prevail. No matter what State Attorney Corey determines following her investigation of the Trayvon Martin tragedy, I trust in the goodness of all Florida citizens to allow our justice system to reach an appropriate conclusion in this case."
Trayvon Martin: The Case in Photos
HLNTV discusses what's next for Zimmerman.