Originally Posted By: GLS

As for a "civil rights" violation charge, Federal law permits certain actions against state officials for excessive use of force if they acted under color of law. Zimmerman is a private citizen and is not subject to the Civil Rights Act for his conduct in shooting Martin. It is mercifully over as far as criminal prosecution goes.


This is a Federal indictment for a hate crime - from the FBI's website:

"WASHINGTON—Yesterday a federal grand jury in Portland, Oregon indicted George Allen Mason, Jr., 23, and his wife, Saraya Sophia Lisa Gardner, 23, on charges related to a the assault of a 26-year-old gay man who was walking his dog with his boyfriend on the streets of Hillsboro, Oregon, which occurred because of animus against the victim’s sexual orientation."

http://www.fbi.gov/portland/press-releas...nti-gay-assault

And another:

"WASHINGTON—The Department of Justice today announced Jamie Larson, 49, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to a federal hate crime relating to a racially motivated assault of a 50-year-old Sikh man who works as a taxi cab driver."

http://www.fbi.gov/seattle/press-release...ack-on-sikh-man

And another:

"LONDON, KY—Four Harlan County, Kentucky relatives were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for their roles in kidnapping and assaulting Kevin Pennington, a gay man. David Jason Jenkins (“Jason”), 39, received 30 years in prison; Anthony Ray Jenkins, 22, 17 years in prison; Mable Ashley Jenkins (“Ashley”), 20, 100 months in prison; and Alexis LeeAnn Jenkins, 20, eight years in prison."

http://www.fbi.gov/louisville/press-rele...cher-county-man


Last edited by AmarilloMike; 07/14/13 06:28 PM.

I am glad to be here.