Atty. Gen. Comments on Zimmerman Soon; NAACP Calls for Civil Rights Charges; Activists Push for New Zimmerman Cas; Interview with Marc Morial
BLITZER: Once again, we're expecting to hear from the attorney general of the United States, Eric Holder, momentarily on the George Zimmerman verdict. We'll have live coverage of that. As we await the attorney general, let's bring in our legal analyst, Sunny Hostin, Mark Nejame. Sunny, you're a former federal prosecutor. Here's a question that I have about what happened in Florida. Would it have made -- would it have made any difference if the state, if the prosecutors in Sanford, Florida, had simply gone after George Zimmerman on a manslaughter charge as opposed to the much more serious second-degree murder charge?</s>SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You know, I don't think that it would have made a difference, Wolf. Bottom line is that they had that charge. The jury had that charge in front of them. I think that, quite frankly, there was enough evidence to support a second-degree murder charge, having been in the courtroom every single day. There was always enough evidence of that. The only issue I think was whether or not the jury would believe a claim of self-defense. Now, a claim of self-defense is a defense not only to second-degree murder, but also to manslaughter. And so to suggest that this prosecution team somehow overcharged I think doesn't really reconcile with the law. Clearly there was enough evidence for second-degree murder here.</s>BLITZER: Mark, you made an interesting point a little while ago about George Zimmerman and his ability potentially to file a lawsuit, to get some money, if you will. He's already filed one, I take it, against another network for defaming -- allegedly defaming him. Does he have other lawsuits that he potentially could file to collect damages?</s>MARK NEJAME, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Not that I see. I think his biggest claim is against the network. If he is sued on a wrongful death claim, there is a possibility, depending upon what unfolds during the course of the case, that he could recover expenses, out of pocket expenses. Now, you're going to see the defense go ahead and request from the state of Florida a reimbursement for their expenses. Their out-of- pocket expenses. They're not entitled to attorneys' fees. But when there's an acquittal, they are entitled to get back the money that was used for certain expenses and costs, out of pocket expenses, such as experts, depositions, those types of things. But could we get to a second about the overcharging or would that be OK to respond to where you came from with Sunny on that?</s>BLITZER: Very quickly. Go ahead. Go ahead.</s>NEJAME: Yes. Of course they overcharged. What you're seeing the prosecution do now is twisting (ph).</s>BLITZER: But would it have made any difference, Mark, if they would have just come in with a manslaughter charge as opposed to the second- degree murder? Would the outcome have been any different?</s>NEJAME: Absolutely. Simply</s>BLITZER: Mark, stand by. Sunny, stand by as well. We've got a special guest I want to bring in. The push is clearly on for a federal prosecution of George Zimmerman. Thousands of people have signed a petition on the White House website calling for a civil rights prosecution of George Zimmerman by the United States Department of Justice because of the death of Trayvon Martin. Once again, we're standing by to hear from the attorney general. He's getting ready to speak. But will the Justice Department follow that advice? Marc Morial is the president of the National Urban League. He's the former mayor of New Orleans. He's a good friend of ours. Marc, thanks very much for coming on.</s>MARC MORIAL, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE: Thanks, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Now you're a lawyer. You grew up in a city where there were serious race issues that have always been out there over many, many years. So do you believe realistically the attorney general, Eric Holder, has enough to file a civil rights suit, a charge against George Zimmerman?</s>MORIAL: What I -- what I would say is based on what I think the attorney general will say today, that he has committed to going forward with the investigation. And I think it's easy for us to say there are - are not -- there is or is not enough evidence. But, Wolf, one of the things that a federal investigation may in fact yield is additional evidence and additional take on the existing evidence that was uncovered in connection with this case. And I do believe there's sufficient grounds when you look at all the circumstances for a charge that George Zimmerman engaged in a hate crime, number one, or number two, in actions which violated the civil rights of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon had the right to be on that street. He had a right to traverse that neighborhood. It was George Zimmerman who instigated - instigated the confrontation which eventually led to Trayvon Martin's death. So what I would do is applaud the idea that the Justice Department is going to proceed. And I would say to listeners, the idea that the Justice Department would conduct a civil rights review after the state court proceedings is not unusual. In the Rodney King incident that occurred. In many other incidents this, in fact, has occurred. So I would encourage people not to be too fast, too quick to say whether or not civil rights charges can be sustained, but to allow this process to proceed in an orderly way. I think that's what the attorney general has committed to.</s>BLITZER: Can you stick around, Marc, and join us because we're anxious to hear what the attorney general has to say. I'd be curious, I'd be very anxious to get your reaction as well. I don't know if you can, but if you can, we'd like you to stick around.</s>MORIAL: Yes, we'll stay, Wolf. I may have to stop off and come back, but I'll stay.</s>BLITZER: All right, thanks very much, the former mayor of New Orleans.</s>MORIAL: Thanks, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: The president of the National Urban League.