In speaking today in front of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. addressed the ongoing national debate surrounding George Zimmerman's acquittal in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. In addition to calling the incident a "tragic, unnecessary shooting," he noted the importance of having a national dialogue.
Holder told the audience that the Justice Department had already launched an investigation into whether federal civil rights charges should be waged against Zimmerman. Speaking outside of the facts of the case, the attorney general noted that the case provides a unique opportunity for contentious issues to be talked about.
"I believe that this tragedy provides yet another opportunity for our nation to speak about the complicated and emotionally-charged issues that this case has raised," he said.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder makes a statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the Voting Rights Act at the Justice Department on June 25, 2013 in Washington, DC. The high court ruled that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which aimed at protecting minority voters, is unconstitutional. Credit: Getty Images
Holder also went on to call for "dignity" in the way that the situation is handled, adding that he believes the victim's parents have set a notable example surrounding how it should be approached.
"I hope that we will approach this necessarily difficult dialogue with this same dignity [as] those who have lost the most -- Trayvon's parents...they suffered a pain that no parents should have to ensure -- and one that I as a father cannot begin to conceive," the attorney general added.
On Sunday, the Justice Department said it is reviewing evidence in the case to determine whether criminal civil rights charges are warranted. The Justice Department had already opened an investigation into Martin's death last year, but stepped aside to allow the state prosecution to proceed.
"We are ... mindful of the pain felt by our nation surrounding the tragic, unnecessary shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, last year," Holder added during the address.
The Justice Department says the criminal section of the Justice Department's civil rights division, the FBI and federal prosecutors in Florida are continuing to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation, plus evidence and testimony from the state trial.
While the NAACP, among other groups and individuals, has called for a federal case against Zimmerman, others, like conservative commentator Michelle Malkin, believe that a concerted effort to paint Zimmerman as a racist is inappropriate. During a Fox News appearance on Monday, Malkin also called into question Holder's handling of past scenarios.
"I would just warn that Eric Holder's rhetoric has never matched the reality," she said. "Under his tenure, in every public office he has held, he has warped the rule of law."
Malkin also charged that the attorney general has a "particular grievance when it comes to racial politics," noting the dismissal of charges against the New Black Panther Party as one troubling example.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.
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