By Manuel McDonnell Smith
Calls from civil-rights and some political leaders for federal legal action against George Zimmerman in the wake of his acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin reached a major milestone on Tuesday, announced the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which is spearheading one effort.
An online petition titled “Open a Civil Rights Case Against George Zimmerman” cleared 1 million signatures on Tuesday, a milestone reached less than 72 hours after the verdict in the controversial case was handed down. It demands that the Justice Department “address the travesties of the tragic death of Trayvon Martin” by charging Zimmerman with violating federal civil-rights laws. Although Zimmerman was found not guilty by a Florida jury, NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Jealous said in a statement that follow-up action by federal officials is appropriate: “The law says you must be able to show that race was a factor and that bodily harm was done. We believe there is enough evidence to satisfy this standard.”
