George Zimmerman was determined not to be a racist according to the FBI. The federal agency interviewed “dozens” of George Zimmerman’s coworkers, neighbors and friend to learn about the character of the man accused of shooting Florida teen Trayvon Martin, Reuters reports. The results of the FBI independent investigation may presumably negate any plans of hate crimes by the prosecution. The FBI agents investigated the actions of both George Zimmerman and Sanford Police officers involved with the Trayvon Martin case.
During one FBI interview into George Zimmerman’s background, Sanford Police Department Detective Christopher Serino stated he did not believe race was a factor in the Trayvon Martin shooting, according to FBI report excerpts republished on The Blaze. Serino was the lead investigator in the shooting of the Florida teen.
The FBI report also notes the Sanford detective felt that Zimmerman based his actions not on skin color but on the clothing worn by Trayvon Martin. According to details offered by Serino a local gang known as the “Goons” often wore hooded sweatshirts. Fox News journalist Geraldo Rivera also made references to the role the “hoodie” may have played in the actions which led to Martin’s shooting.
The FBI findings noted that the only possible prejudice exhibited by George Zimmerman was directed at his fellow Hispanics. While searching Zimmerman’s past for possible Civil Rights violations, the FBI investigators learned that he often played basketball with whites, blacks and Hispanic men. But, when George Zimmerman interacted on MySpace he made statements critical of Mexicans while he lived in Virginia. Zimmerman maintained that Mexicans where he lived were known to “pull out knives and messed with people’s cars.”
“I don’t mess driving around scared to miss Mexicns, walkin’ on the side of the street, soft as wanna be thugs messin’ with people’s cars when they ain’t around,” one MySpace post from George Zimmeran read, according to FBI excerpts republished on The Blaze.
