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Special prosecutor cancels Grand Jury in Martin case

The special prosecutor appointed to the case of the 17-year-old black teen shot in Sanford will not be using a grand jury to determine what charges, if any, will be brought in the case. Lynn Hatter reports the news comes a day before a Grand Jury was supposed to meet.

Twenty-eight –year-old George Zimmerman is accused of shooting Trayvon Martin and the Sanford Police Department has caught flack for the way it handled the case. Zimmerman says he shot the teen in self-defense and hasn’t been arrested. The case has sparked national outrage and charges of racism.

Now the state’s special prosecutor, State Attorney Angela Corey, says a Grand Jury won’t be used. It was scheduled to meet Tuesday. According to a release from her office, the decision not to use a jury shouldn’t be considered as a factor in final determination of the case. The statement goes on to say that  from the moment she received the case, Corey noted she may not need the Grand Jury.

Attorney Ben Crump represents Martin’s family, and says he’s not surprised by the decision, and awaits Corey’s decision.

Follow @HatterLynn

Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University and Florida State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master's in Professional Communication. Lynn has been with WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She has worked with several organizations, including Kaiser Health News.  Lynn has also partnered with USC-Annenberg's Center for Child Wellbeing on the nationally acclaimed series "Committed," which explored the prevalence of involuntary commitment use on children.
She serves on the board of RTDNA and the United Way of the Big Bend, with previous service on the board of the First Amendment Foundation of Florida.

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