No federal charges will be brought against George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin case

The Department of Justice has announced that it will not be pursuing charges against George Zimmerman for the 2012 death of 17-year-old African-American Trayvon Martin.

According to Attorney General Eric Holder, there was not enough evidence to meet the "high standard for a federal hate crime prosecution."

Martin was killed by Zimmerman after a confrontation in a Florida neighborhood. Zimmerman was a member of the Neighborhood Watch Program. Martin was temporarily staying in the neighborhood and had walked to a nearby store to buy snacks.

After the encounter and shooting, Zimmerman was arrested and questioned, but released after he claimed self-defense. As news of the shooting spread, thousands of protesters across the country called for Zimmerman's arrest and a full investigation. Six weeks later, he was arrested again and charged.

Prosecutors in that state tried to convict Zimmerman of second-degree murder, but he was acquitted by a jury in July 2013. The shooting and trial were in national headlines for months and sparked much conversation about race relations. Many believed that the shooting was racially motivated.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and FBI subsequently opened an investigation into the case, noting “experienced federal prosecutors” would determine “whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation” of federal law.

Officials from the Justice Department and F.B.I. met with Martin's family yesterday before they publicly announced their decision. WTVF

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