Florida Gov. Rick Scott denies Zimmerman charges due to public outcry

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Florida's governor is rejecting any suggestions charges were filed in the killing of the unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin because of public pressure...

TheGrio Staff

Apr 17, 2012

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s governor is rejecting any suggestions charges were filed in the killing of the unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin because of public pressure.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he doesn’t believe special prosecutor Angela Corey is influenced by anything but the facts of the case.

He says his focus is the same as hers — securing justice for Martin’s family and due process for George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer recently charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of the 17-year-old.

Zimmerman’s arrest last week came nearly six weeks after Martin was shot in a gated community in Sanford, near Orlando. The shooting touched off weeks of protests and U.S. debate about race and self-defense.

Zimmerman, who is expected to plead not guilty, says he acted in self-defense.