Florida Statutory Laws Prohibit Trayvon Martin Family Filing Civil Suit Against George Zimmerman; NAACP request DOJ Pursue Justice

A false perception exists across the United States Civil Tort Laws allow the victim or family victimized by an action which resulting in suffering, loss or harm to file legal action to seek at least, punitive justice.

California is one of States Civil Tort “Wrongly Death” actions can be pursued. On February 11, 1997, the family of victims Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ronald Goldman received a $35 million civil judgement against O.J. Simpson despite Simpson’s not-guilty verdict in the criminal first degree murder case.

“Writing one of the final chapters in O. J. Simpson’s long legal case, a civil court jury here ordered him today to pay a financially debilitating $25 million in punitive damages to the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald L. Goldman. 

The huge award constituted still another pointed contradiction of the much-disputed 1995 criminal court verdict that found Mr. Simpson not guilty of the double slaying that has gripped the nation with its uncomfortable questions about murder, wife battering, racism, celebrity and the quality of American justice.”

“With daughter, Sydney, 18, and son Justin, 15, Simpson lives in a $575,000, three-bedroom, three-bath home with a pool. Under Florida law, it can’t be seized to help cover the $33.5 million civil judgment that a California court ordered him to pay the survivors of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald L. Goldman.”

Sadly for Trayvon Martin’s family, the decision by a jury of six Women not only allowed George Zimmerman to walk free from shooting and killing the 17-year old victim, but ironically Florida Statutory laws also protects Trayvon’s killer from any civil damages. 

Florida Crimes Sections 776.012, 776.031 and 776.032 defines no civil liability exist for a person who uses of force in defense of person, including themselves.

776.012 — Use of force in defense of person.—A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force.

776.032 Immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action for justifiable use of force.—(1) A person who uses force as permitted in s. 776.012, s. 776.013, or s. 776.031 is justified in using such force and is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force, unless the person against whom force was used is a law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 943.10(14), who was acting in the performance of his or her official duties and the officer identified himself or herself in accordance with any applicable law or the person using force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer. As used in this subsection, the term “criminal prosecution” includes arresting, detaining in custody, and charging or prosecuting the defendant.

776.031 Use of force in defense of others.—A person is justified in the use of force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to prevent or terminate the other’s trespass on, or other tortious or criminal interference with, either real property other than a dwelling or personal property, lawfully in his or her possession or in the possession of another who is a member of his or her immediate family or household or of a person whose property he or she has a legal duty to protect. However, the person is justified in the use of deadly force only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony. A person does not have a duty to retreat if the person is in a place where he or she has a right to be.

“Double jeopardy protects defendants only for retrials brought within the original jurisdiction, which is why a defendant can be tried in federal court after being tried in state court. Double jeopardy does not prevent trial in a civil court on underlying facts that previously formed the basis of a criminal trial.”

A statement by State Prosecutor Angela Corey after the verdict likely will be used as justification for the Federal Department of Justice to seek Federal statutory Civil Rights case for the lost of Trayvon Martin’s life on February 26, 2012 in Sanford, FL.

“This case has never been about race, nor has it ever been about the right to bear arms,” Corey said. “But Trayvon Martin was profiled. There is no doubt that he was profiled to be a criminal. And if race was one of the aspects in George Zimmerman’s mind, then we believe that we put out the proof necessary to show that Zimmerman did profile Trayvon Martin.”

Independent Underground News & Talk will continue to follow any updates in pursuit of Justice for the lost life of Trayvon Benjamin Martin.

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• NAACP Is ‘Outraged And Heartbroken,’ And Will Pursue ‘Civil Rights Charges’ Against George Zimmerman
• Zimmerman: Not Guilty! Will He Face Doj Civil Rights Charge? Will There Be a Civil Suit?
• Was Justice Denied – Zimmerman Not Guilty -7/13 @ 11pm ET – Jul 14,2013
• Updated-Zimmerman arrested in Trayvon Martin case; Prosecutor Angela Corey announce charge of 2nd murder