How is *this* even legal?

[mnealtx]

Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/zimme...old-doj-2013-7

DOJ Put A Hold On Trial Evidence, So Zimmerman Won't Get His Gun Back Yet

*fair use*
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murder by a Florida court last week, will not immediately get back the gun he used to shoot unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, because the U.S. Justice Department requested a hold on evidence from his trial, a law enforcement official said on Thursday.

*fair use*

I'm not seeing how there's any connection between a civil rights suit and the gun.... what the kitten?

[TCinVA]

If they're pursuing an investigation the gun is evidence. That's the way it works. Stolen items can end up locked in an evidence room for years because it's evidence against the thief. Weapons used in a criminal case all the moreso.

[jlw]

Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/zimme...old-doj-2013-7

DOJ Put A Hold On Trial Evidence, So Zimmerman Won't Get His Gun Back Yet

*fair use*
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murder by a Florida court last week, will not immediately get back the gun he used to shoot unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, because the U.S. Justice Department requested a hold on evidence from his trial, a law enforcement official said on Thursday.

*fair use*

I'm not seeing how there's any connection between a civil rights suit and the gun.... what the kitten?

The Feds are looking at criminal violations of the Civil Rights Act.

[mnealtx]

If they're pursuing an investigation the gun is evidence. That's the way it works. Stolen items can end up locked in an evidence room for years because it's evidence against the thief. Weapons used in a criminal case all the moreso.

The Feds are looking at criminal violations of the Civil Rights Act.

Understood, but how does the *gun* apply in a civil rights case, as *evidence*?

[jlw]

Understood, but how does the *gun* apply in a civil rights case, as *evidence*?

By what method did Zimmerman kill Martin?

[mnealtx]

By what method did Zimmerman kill Martin?

Already covered in the trial with no questions regarding provenance.

How did the item used violate Martin's *civil* rights?

Again...what's the *applicability* to a civil rights case?

[jlw]

Already covered in the trial with no questions regarding provenance.

How did the item used violate Martin's *civil* rights?

Again...what's the *applicability* to a civil rights case?

It's called the Socratic Method. One person leads another to the self-discovery of the answer by asking a series of questions.

[ToddG]

Again...what's the *applicability* to a civil rights case?

The alleged civil rights violation was the killing of Martin. The pistol was the tool used to kill him. There's nothing even marginally unusual here... other than DOJ's utterly inappropriate decision to aggravate Zimmerman's life further after a jury of his peers found he acted in lawful self-defense.

[mnealtx]

The alleged civil rights violation was the killing of Martin. The pistol was the tool used to kill him. There's nothing even marginally unusual here... other than DOJ's utterly inappropriate decision to aggravate Zimmerman's life further after a jury of his peers found he acted in lawful self-defense.

Definitely agree with the aggravation angle... and I understand that the killing was the alleged violation and the pistol was used to do so.

I still don't see how the *physical* evidence is so important in a civil rights case vs. any evidence of racist statements or actions by Z? How can use a sweatshirt with a bullet hole in it or a gun to somehow "prove" the civil rights violation, especially after a not guilty verdict when all of that was *already* state evidence? Is it a blanket "save ALL the evidence!" thing?

[joshs]

Again...what's the *applicability* to a civil rights case?

The US would still have to prove that Zimmerman shot Martin in a civil rights case. To do that, they would need the gun.