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Prosecutor: Grand Jury will not decide Trayvon Martin case

George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin to death Feb. 26. He has claimed self-defense. (Source: CNN)(RNN) – The special prosecutor appointed to hear the Trayvon Martin shooting case announced Monday that the Grand Jury will not decide whether George Zimmerman will face charges.

According to the special prosecutor, the Grand Jury, which was set to convene on Tuesday, “should not be considered a factor in the final determination of the case.”

The special prosecutor, Angela Corey, was appointed more than a month after Martin, 17, was shot and killed by Zimmerman, 28, a self-appointed neighborhood watch captain.

Corey had indicated weeks ago that she would forego the Grand Jury process.

“I always lean towards moving forward without needing the Grand Jury in a case like this,” Corey told the Miami Herald on March 29. “I foresee us being able to make a decision and move it on our own.”

 

Florida State Attorney Norm Wolfinger had announced only nine days earlier that a Grand Jury would review the case against Zimmerman.

Grand Juries are traditionally called on in high profile cases to determine whether charges can be brought against a party. In this case, the Grand Jury was set to look over the evidence against Zimmerman to determine whether it was strong enough to bring him to court, or whether more investigation needed to be done.

Grand Jury proceedings are closed to the public, to keep the meeting from affecting the outcome of the eventual case if charges are brought forward.

A Grand Jury was used in the JonBenet Ramsey case to determine whether charges could be brought against her parents in 1999.

Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.

Via:Channel 19/Michelle Jones