Grand jury called in Trayvon Martin shooting

George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin / CBS/AP

Updated at 1:13 p.m. ET

(CBS/AP) SANFORD, Fla. - Federal and local prosecutors are launching parallel investigations into the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teen by a neighborhood watch captain as outrage over the case grows.

A central Florida prosecutor's announcement Tuesday that a grand jury will consider evidence in the case came a day after the Justice Department said it would probe the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The moves follow a day of protests calling for the arrest of George Zimmerman, 28, who claims he shot Martin in self-defense during a confrontation last month in a gated community in Sanford, Fla.

A source very close to the investigation told CBS News that Sanford police were under mounting political pressure from the city and the state to submit their case to the state's attorney before they were confident their part of the investigation was complete. Prosecutors will need to re-interview key witnesses.

The source provided additional details about Zimmerman's self-defense claim that he made to police.

Feds face challenges in Trayvon Martin case
FBI, others investigating Fla. teen's slaying
911 calls released in Trayvon Martin fatal shooting

Zimmerman spotted Martin as he was patrolling his neighborhood on a rainy evening and called 911 to report a suspicious person. Against the advice of the 911 dispatcher, Zimmerman then followed Martin, who was walking home from a convenience store with a bag of Skittles in his pocket. Police have described Zimmerman as white; his family says he is Hispanic and not racist.

While under questioning, Zimmerman told police he followed the dispatcher's advice and that he turned and began to return to his car when Martin confronted him, according to the source close to the investigation. Martin became violent and punched Zimmerman, he told police. The two got into a scuffle, during which Zimmerman drew his weapon and fired it, he told police.

On Tuesday, attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents Martin's parents, said the teenager was on the phone with his girlfriend back home in Miami when he told her he was being followed. She said Martin told her someone was following him and that he was going to try to lose him. He thought he had lost Zimmerman but hadn't.

"He says, 'Oh he's right behind me, he's right behind me again,'" Crump said the girl told him. "She says run. He says I'm not going to run I'm just going to walk fast. She hears Trayvon say, 'Why are you following me?' Other voice says, 'What are you doing around here?'"

She told Crump they both repeated themselves and then she heard a scuffle begin "because (Martin's) voice changes like something interrupted his speech." She heard an altercation and then the phone call was cut off.

Within moments, according to Crump's timeline, Martin was shot. She didn't hear the gunfire.

Crump is not releasing the girl's name to protect her privacy.

According to the source close to the investigation, authorities have a subpoena for Martin's phone records and are waiting to electronically unlock the phone. Neither the teenage girl nor her parents came forward to offer details to police in the three weeks since the shooting, despite a public plea for information, the source said.

Several investigators don't believe Zimmerman turned back to his car but instead tried to confront or even detain Martin until police arrived, the source said, but police don't have any evidence to prove that. Police conducted a voice stress test two days after the shooting on Zimmerman, which he passed, the source said. Another one is expected to be conducted on him soon, the source said.

Zimmerman is staying at a secure location and has been in daily contact with authorities, the source said.

Crump said he plans to turn over information about the call to federal investigators who are looking into the case.

"The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation," the Justice Department said in an emailed statement.

The federal agency said it is sending its community relations service this week to Sanford to meet with authorities, community officials and civil rights leaders "to address tension in the community."

In a statement released Tuesday, Seminole County State Attorney Norm Wolfinger urged the public to be patient as the investigation unfolds. He said grand jurors will meet April 10.

An online petition urging local authorities to prosecute Zimmerman has drawn more than 500,000 signatures at website Change.org

Civil rights activist Al Sharpton is expected to join Sanford city leaders in a Tuesday evening town hall meeting to discuss with residents how the investigation is being handled. Earlier Monday, students held rallies on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and outside the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, where prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine if charges should be filed.

Yet authorities may be hamstrung by a state law that allows people to defend themselves with deadly force.

Prosecutors may not be able to charge Zimmerman because of changes to state law in 2005. Under the old law, people could use deadly force in self-defense only if they had tried to run away or otherwise avoid the danger.

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[occupy_cbs]

Trayvon Martin Investigator Wanted Manslaughter Charge

The lead homicide investigator in the shooting of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin recommended that neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman be charged with manslaughter the night of the shooting, multiple sources told ABC News.

But Sanford, Fla., Investigator Chris Serino was instructed to not press charges against Zimmerman because the state attorney's office headed by Norman Wolfinger determined there wasn't enough evidence to lead to a conviction, the sources told ABC News.

Serino filed an affidavit on Feb. 26, the night that Martin was shot and killed by Zimmerman, that stated he was unconvinced Zimmerman's version of events.

http://www.drudge.com/news/155060/trayvon-martin-investigator-wanted

[BreeBree215]

It's really sad to read how many people are trying to justify Zimmerman's behavior. NO it doesn't matter that Trayvon was walking to his father's house at 10pm! That doesnt make someone suspicious! NO it doesn't matter that he was a black male walking through the neighborhood! That doesnt make him suspicious either! When I read things about how many burglaries there were in that area over the course of 2 years it doesnt justify questioning EVERY black male you see in the neighborhood! why don't people understand that??? So what if there were break ins???? What did that have to do with TRAYVON??? oh i see...he's a young black kid..therefor he must be a burglar....he MUST be up to no good...See the funny thing is that people will say all of these things like "what was he doing out at 10pm" and "well there were break ins in the neighborhood" but what they wont do is say what they really mean. HE WAS A BLACK KID IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HE DIDNT BELONG IN!!! Bottom line. That is what no one wants to say but is the EXACT reason why he was targeted! He wasnt acting suspicious...he didnt attack Zimmerman. And the proof is on the 911 call where Zimmerman ADMITTED to following Trayvon!Come on people! OPEN YOUR EYES!!! There is NO justification for this kid being murdered! NONE! HE was walking to his dads house!!!! There isnt a person on this earth that would justify this type of action if it were their own family member!

[ArleeMarlee]

Racist people never want to admit that they are racist because it makes them look like the insecure, jealous, inadequate, evil, ignorant losers that they are. Being racist shows a sign of being inferior. Why feel threaten by someone because of the color of their skin? Why make up all of these stereotypes that that reflect who that are and project it on the "inferior" race? No one talks about how violent and indifferent most white people are towards blacks but blacks are the paranoid ones.

I have never snatched a purse, stolen, killed or attacked anyone but most white people think that I have and think lowly of me because I am black. But that is not racism? Wake up black america!! We are still being mistreated because we are black. Look what happened to Troy Davis. The racist judge lynched him the new way. And look at countless other innocent black lives that have been taken away by racist and jealous people. Now look at TRAYVON MARTIN. All of this is no coincidence. Blacks have been and continue to be targeted.

We have racist judges like US District JUDGE CEBULL who put away our people and no one says anything. We need to fight this racist system and society. Sign the petition for Judge Cebull to impeached so that the Trayvons in Montanna can have a fair chance. Sign the petition for Trayvon Martin's murder, George Zimmerman, can be charged with murder.

Remember this is a hate crime and the 50 other 911 calls prove along with the call the one that Zimmerman made the night that he murdered TRAYVON MARTIN because he was black shows that this was a hate crime. Keep talking about this. NO MATTER WHAT IS BEING SAID ON THIS WEBSITE NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE THIS KEEPS THIS CASE IN THE MEDIA. KEEP TALKING PEOPLE. KEEP MARCHING. KEEP SIGNING. KEEP PROTESTING. AND FOR THE HATERS KEEP BAD MOUTHING. HATERS KEEP ON EXCUSING YOUR RACIST BELIEFS. BECAUSE HATERS YOUR COLORS ARE SHOWING. JUSTIC FOR TRAYVON. JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[madjek]

There is only one thing these racists understand....guns Only one thing they respect...violence and revenge

[tlh3bc]

Racists don't need guns to do damage. Plenty of sane people carry guns to defend their lives, and would never have chased down someone who wasn't bothering them in any way. The problem here is a watchman with a cop complex. I doubt we'll ever know if the incident was racially motivated, because Zimmerman might have been just as suspicious of a white or hispanic male in the same situation. All that matters is that everything Zimmerman did was wrong. Making the 911 call is the absolute most he should have done, then he should have left it to cops to question Trayvon and declare him perfectly innocent of everything except being thirsty.

[nancy_naive]

by smittyc March 21, 2012 12:48 AM EDT
Sorry for the 17 year old and his family. Puzzled why he was walking around on a dark rainy night

====
He bought Skittles and an ice tea, which were found that the crime scene. So, if he had an ice tea in one hand, a cellphone in the other, which hand was in his waistband?

[BumblebeeHenry]

I agree with you. If you listen to the 911 call too, you can hear Zimmerman start to breath heavier after he says, "He just took off." Obviously running after the kid.

[Charlemagne760]

Is anyone interested in some hate crimes in which the Feds had no interest? The Witchita Horror, The Channon Christian case, The murder of Mary Stakowitz just for starters. You readers of the MsM fall for the same old propaganda every day. A justice department and media scouring the country for a story which can fit into template: White people, property owers, and guns are bad. When the media learned Meghan Williams was lying they burried the story, why...it was a "hate crime" pure and simple, wasn't it?

Bias crimes, hate crimes, harrassment and bullying violations are arbitrary laws with no clear definition. Assault and battery deals with theses issues perfectly, and further because of selective enforcement so called "bias crimes" violate the equal protection clause of the constitution.

[smittyc]

Sorry for the 17 year old and his family. Puzzled why he was walking around on a dark rainy night. Hopefully the federal investigations and the grand jury will pacify the family. The witness did say they were both wrestling each other on the ground right outside his back door. Wonder what he was doing there.

[moretruthnow]

He went to the store to buy something to eat and drink smitty. He had every right to do so. What was not a right was for Zimmerman to decide he was suspicious because he was black and cause the whole incident to end up with him shooting this teenager who was returning to an apartment there.

[BrendahDeBow]

So he should not be walking around on a dark rainy night? Why not? He stalked the kid, who had every right to walk to the local 7-11 and buy candy for him and his brother. I wonder why Zimmerman did not stop following him when the dispatcher told him not too. Why did he continue to chase after the kid. Have you taken time to listen to the tapes? Zimmerman needs to be in jail awaiting trial for murder.

[baware2]

The local police should be investigated for wrongdoing in this case also

[karlejohn]

The shame is Zimmerman and the Florida police department. This is nothing but a HATE crime. Anyone with half a brain know you don't kill someone for walking down the street, eating candy, talking on the cell phone. Did this guy think he was in Mexico in a gated community? We have the right to walk down any street without be killed because we are African American. Why are we here? We have spent four hundreds slaving on your plantations and you ask, "why are we here?"

[tlh3bc]

No one is saying that he didn't have a right to be somewhere. Trayvon had every right to be where he was, or in any public area. But what you've said is a prime example of why race is still such a sore point in this country. YOU never spent a single day on anyone's plantation, and not a soul in America today ever owned any of your ancestors, because the former slave holders are long deceased. There comes a time when you have to stop using the past, which you and I weren't a part of, to excuse or blame your present. And you certainly can't blame anyone who is alive today for the horrific past of this country.

[madiesm]

Lets see I can kill someone if I feel threaten not that am under a threat or I can kill someone and say I felt threaten. dead person can't talk so if I want to kill in Florida I can with ease.

[thelittlehunter]

Just thinking out loud here, hypothetically what if I were in Florida in the same room as Mr. Zimmerman, could I shoot him without warning or repercussion because a.) I now know he has a permit for his gun b.) most likely the gun will be concealed on his person. c. he is known to use it against unarmed individuals d.) in Florida I do not have to remove myself from the threat, I am allowed to stand my ground. e.) because of the former statements which appear to be true and apply to Mr. Zimmerman I felt threatened? Oh happy, happy day! What a Pandora's box has been opened.