After George Zimmerman was found not guilty of the second degree murder of Trayvon Martin, Angela Corey, State Attorney in Florida’s 4th Circuit Court, defended the decision to bring charges against Zimmerman at a press conference.
The first question from a journalist in attendance was why the charges were filed in the first place.
“We charge what we believe we can prove,” Corey responded. “What was convincing to us when we listened to the tape is the scream stopped the moment the shot was fired… We don’t believe he [Zimmerman] could have been straddled [by Martin]… at the time the shot was fired.”
Corey also said, “When two people are on neutral ground… Trayvon had every bit of right to be on the premises as George Zimmerman, and that’s why this case was unique and difficult.”
“One of the reasons because we didn’t produce the picture [of Zimmerman’s bloody head] is those injuries, we believe, did not rise to great bodily harm,” she added.
Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda elaborated, “Who was following who?… a kid minding his own business being followed by a stranger… that’s when it started, that’s not a theory, that’s the fact.”
“You had a 17 year old kid wearing a hoodie minding his own business who gets accosted by a guy who wants to be a cop,” he accused.
Corey concluded by stating she had no doubt that Trayvon Martin was profiled by Zimmerman because of his race.
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