VOA标准英语2012--Florida Man Charged in Controversial Death of Unarmed Teenager

Florida Man Charged in Controversial Death of Unarmed Teenager

Florida special prosecutor¹ Angela Corey said there's enough evidence to file murder charges against George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

"Today we filed an information charging George Zimmerman with murder in the second degree," Corley said.

At a news conference in Jacksonville, Florida Wednesday, Corey would not discuss evidence in the case but said it is enough to win a conviction. 

"This is the conclusion we came to based on our review of the facts and evidence," Corey said.

Authorities said Zimmerman has turned himself in but police refuse to disclose where he is for his safety. He will be held in jail until a court bond hearing. 

Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self defense² after spotting him in a gated community where Martin's father lives. Zimmerman initially³ called police to say he was following a suspicious person. 

DISPATCHER: "Are you following him? 

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

DISPATCHER: "We don't need you to do that."

Soon afterwards, an confrontation⁴, then a gunshot and Martin was dead.

The shooting sparked a national outcry led by Martin’s parents who insist their son was murdered. They also accuse Zimmerman of targeting their son because he was black. Police did not initially charge Zimmerman with a crime because of a Florida law that says a person has a right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force.

Trayvon Martin’s parents in Washington said they are relieved. 

"I have been up and down as if I was on a roller coaster. But I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt justice will be served," said Sybrina Fulton, Martin's mother.

Tensions have been running high in the small community of Sanford, Florida, since the shooting. 

For weeks demonstrators have taken to the streets calling for Zimmerman's arrest. Legal analyst⁵ say Zimmerman now will likely invoke⁶ the Stand Your Ground law as his defense and a judge could decide if the case should go to trial. If convicted Zimmerman could face a sentence of up to life in prison. 

1 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

6 invoke   

v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求

参考例句：

• Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
• I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。