Having committed no illegal act on the night he was savagely beaten by Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman’s actions of self-defense to prevent grievous bodily harm were legally and ethically justified. He should not have faced criminal charges in the first place, and his prosecution was a politically motivated one, not a reasonable response to the evidence. If the Department of Justice is pursuing civil rights charges against Zimmerman, it should cease immediately. Federal officials should respect the evidence of the case and the decision of the trial jury in Florida.



