Audio By Carbonatix
It seems that second-degree murder charges might not be the only legal trouble George Zimmerman faces for shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. An Orlando-area news station reports that the FBI may move forward on charging Zimmerman with a hate crime. Currently, the toughest sentence Zimmerman could face is life in prison, but if convicted of a hate crime murder, he could be sentenced to the death penalty.
WFTV doesn’t appear to have much information but does say the FBI is actively questioning residents of the Twin Lakes neighborhood where the shooting occurred in order to gather evidence related to possible hate crime charges.
This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, though. The FBI announced back in March that it would investigate the crime. It’s unclear how far the investigation has progressed. So just because the FBI is investigating, it does not necessarily mean charges will be filed. But the possibility remains.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
When news happens, Miami New Times is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If Miami New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
