George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in February of 2012, has been charged with second degree murder.

Zimmerman had turned himself in and thus had the right to appear before a Seminole County magistrate on Thursday, April 12, 2012.

Zimmerman was jailed in Sanford. This crime set off a nationwide debate over racial profiling and self-defense. Zimmerman told the police that he had been fighting for his life after an altercation with Trayvon, 17, who was unarmed, before he shot him in self-defense.

Under Florida law, murder in the second degree refers to a killing carried out without premeditation but with “a depraved mind regardless of human life.”

Zimmerman faces life in prison if he is convicted. According to his attorney, he will not plead guilty.

Trayvon was fatally shot while he was walking in the Retreat at Twin Lakes, in Sanford, Florida. He was making a quick trip to a nearby 7-eleven.

Zimmerman made a call to 911 saying that there had been a rash of burglaries in the area and that there was a “guy…walking around, looking about.” Zimmerman was also quoted as saying, “This guy looks like…he’s on drugs or something.

Zimmerman and Trayvon encountered eachother between the back yards of two rows of townhouses in the complex. According to Zimmerman, Trayvon punched him in the face, knocked him down, and slammed his head against the pavement. Zimmerman claimed self-defense after pulling out a black Kel-Tec 9mm and shot Trayvon in the chest at close range.

Upon arrival, police found Trayvon dead in a pool of blood and Zimmerman bleeding from him

nose and back of his head. Originally authorities did not charge Zimmerman because of the Florida’s “stand your ground” law that allows a person to use deadly force in self-defense when there is a reasonable belief of threat and which does not require people to retreat.

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Cynthia Anderson was driving to work just after 7 am. She was traveling west on Erie when she approached a slowing school bus. Ms. Anderson was distracted from her driving and so when Morgan Duris crossed the street with the right of way Ms. Anderson failed to stop and struck the 15 year old Northview High School freshman. Ms. Anderson was driving about 50 mph in a 35 mph zone. She was trying to beat the slowing bus at the time of the accident.

Morgan was thrown 120 feet upon impact  and was pronounced dead at Flower Hospital.

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