Outrage Grows Over Death of Florida Teen; Will Matthew Shepard Law Be Invoked in Florida?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now this. All right. Let's continue on here, hour two. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Top of the hour, I want to begin with breaking news. As I speak, the Department of Justice officials are believed to be meeting with the parents of the unarmed teen, Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed just about a month ago by a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Florida. So keep that in mind. Also in the next half-hour, we're expecting to hear from the city manager of Sanford, Florida, and he's expected to make an announcement in the case, so that happening 3:30 Eastern time. We will dip into that live. Also, just last night, the city council in Sanford voted 3-2 approving the vote of no confidence in the city's police chief, Bill Lee, who by the way has been on the job for all of 10 months. His officers have yet to arrest the watch captain, George Zimmerman, seen here in this exclusive photo that CNN obtained. Joining me now is legal analyst Sunny Hostin. First, a lot to talk about obviously as the story continues. What do you make of this vote of no confidence? What exactly does that do? Ultimately it is the city manager who we will be hearing from and perhaps he will make news in half-an-hour, but it's ultimately his call whether or not the chiefs stays or goes.</s>SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: That's right. It is his call. But we know, Brooke, because there has been such outrage in this case that many people are calling either for the resignation of the police chief or the firing of the police chief and the city manager has made it very clear that he is going to listen to the recommendation and he was waiting for that recommendation. So as you mentioned, we know there will be a news conference at 3:30. I wonder whether or not we will learn how he felt about that vote of no confidence, the 3-2 vote, but certainly I think it spells some serious concerns about how the Trayvon Martin matter has been handled by the police department under the lead of the police chief.</s>BALDWIN: And apparently this news conference is to be the first of many it sounds like daily briefings put on by the city manager and, of course, we will take that live in less than half-an-hour from now. Meantime, as we mentioned, the Department of Justice officials are meeting with Trayvon Martin's parents right now obviously behind closed doors. But what can we glean from what might be possibly happening there? What might the feds be telling them, going over with them, what's the purpose of this?</s>HOSTIN: Well, we don't know exactly. I have been in contact with the Martin family attorney, and it was confirmed they would be meeting with the Department of Justice attorneys, two officials in particular, and my understanding it is going to be one of the deputy chiefs of the Civil Rights Division as well as a U.S. attorney, and the U.S. attorney of Florida. And we know also, Brooke, the Justice Department has commenced an investigation into Trayvon Martin's shooting death, and that's a civil rights investigation, and so perhaps they are going to update the family on their plans. The Justice Department has indicated this would be a difficult case to show, a difficult case to prove. But we do know that the FBI is investigating, the Justice Department is investigating. We don't know whether or not they're taking over the investigation from the local authorities. Many people are -- and I made several phone calls -- and many people are telling me that this is very much viewed as a local law enforcement investigation, but that the Justice Department and federal investigations will be run in tandem with the local investigation.</s>BALDWIN: Still just about a month from the shooting and the death, no arrest, no charges. I know that just today about 1,000 students in Florida, they walked out of class to protest the fact that that precise fact that no one has been arrested. And with the pressure, Sunny, could perhaps a defense attorney use that later saying police felt compelled and felt pressured to make an arrest in this case?</s>HOSTIN: If an arrest happens, certainly, I suppose that would be the argument, but we know that the state attorney's office has sent this and sent it over for a grand jury to hear on April 10.</s>HOSTIN: I suspect that the police department has handed over this investigation to the state's attorneys office and the evidence will appear in front of the grand jury, so the police department isn't going to effectuate an arrest any time soon. The most that would come out it is if the grand jury chose to indict. That would almost be akin to an arrest warrant and he would be charged with whatever crimes the grand jury indicted on. I don't suspect we will be seeing an arrest by the Sanford Police Department.</s>BALDWIN: Until perhaps an indictment comes down and you mentioned April 10.</s>HOSTIN: That's right.</s>BALDWIN: Sunny Hostin, thank you. I know Sunny knows this intimately. We will talk a little about the stand your ground law and how it has really played this front and center role as to why Sanford police did not arrest 28-year-old George Zimmerman the night of the shooting just about a month ago. The law in 21 states keep in mind, this isn't just Florida -- 21 states -- allows people to use deadly force in defending themselves and since it passed in 2005 justifiable homicides in Florida have more than doubled. And Randi Kaye has the story of one family mourning a loved one after the shooter allegedly tried to stand his ground.</s>RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): When David James, an Iraq war veteran, escaped combat in the Middle East unscathed, his wife, Kanina, breathed a sigh of relief.</s>KANINA JAMES, WIDOW: I would worry about him, but I thought he would be safe here.</s>KAYE: She was wrong and now wants to know why Trevor Dooley, a 71-year-old retired bus driver, shot her husband in broad daylight, right in front of their 8-year-old daughter. Dooley says it was self- defense. Kanina James calls it murder.</s>K. JAMES: What person brings a gun to a park when there's children? I mean, he killed my husband. He could have just talked to him.</s>KAYE: Whether or not Trevor Dooley fired in self-defense is at the heart of this case. Also central to the this story is Dooley's defense, Florida's stand your ground rule, which allows a person to stand their ground and use deadly force if they fear someone could seriously harm them. (on camera): Here's what witnesses say happened on that September Sunday in 2010 -- 41-year-old David James was playing basketball with his daughter here, when witnesses say Dooley who lived right across the street started yelling at a teenager who was skateboarding to get off the court. That's when witnesses say James intervened. (voice-over): James yelled back to Dooley, asking him to show where any signs said no skateboarding. Dooley then crossed the street to the park to confront James. A tennis player at the park, Michael Whitt, testified things turned ugly when Dooley reached for his waistband. Whitt says James then lunged at Dooley. The two men struggled on the ground before James was shot, once through the heart. On the 911 call, Whitt is heard trying to help.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you hear me? Sir, can you hear me? Sir, can you hear me? He's shot in the chest, ma'am. 911</s>OPERATOR: And he's not breathing?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he's not breathing.</s>QUESTION: Mr. Dooley, what do you want to say about what happened?</s>TREVOR DOOLEY: no comment.</s>KAYE: Dooley tells a different story that contradicts the witnesses. He says when he took the gun out of his right front pocket, James saw it and knocked him to the ground. At a hearing to get the charges dismissed, Dooley testified -- quote -- "He was choking me to death."</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You agree you do not want to go to prison for killing David James, correct?</s>DOOLEY: I don't think I should.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes or no.</s>DOOLEY: No.</s>KAYE (on camera): Dooley's lawyer told us his client turned to walk away towards home and that James was the aggressor. He said Dooley did pull a gun, but didn't use it until he felt his life was threatened. He says the charges against his client should be dropped, given the stand your ground law. (voice-over): Kanina James says her husband of 13 years had never been aggressive, that he was a gentle family man. She believes he was trying to protect himself and their daughter Danielle after he saw Dooley pull the gun.</s>K. JAMES: He loved Danielle so much. And that breaks my heart that Trevor Dooley took my daughter's best friend away from her. She will never have her daddy.</s>KAYE: Danielle's testimony about how and why the situation turned violent is key in a case that hinges on self-defense. Danielle, now 10, recalled how her father asked Dooley where the signs that said no skateboarding on the court.</s>DANIELLE JAMES, DAUGHTER: My dad got on top of him, so he could keep him down so he could get the answer.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where were your dad's hands?</s>D. JAMES: On his arms.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the man's arms?</s>D. JAMES: Yes.</s>KAYE: The little girl then recalled her father's last moments.</s>D. JAMES: I think the guy pulled out the gun then.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you hear anything?</s>D. JAMES: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did you hear?</s>D. JAMES: Like when it shot.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You heard a gunshot?</s>D. JAMES: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did your dad say anything then?</s>D. JAMES: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did he say?</s>D. JAMES: Call the ambulance. I have been shot.</s>KAYE: When Kanina James got there, her husband was already dead and her daughter was crying, asking, why isn't anyone helping my daddy? Randi Kaye, CNN, Valrico, Florida.</s>BALDWIN: Just an example of stand your ground in Florida. Again, we pulled up this live picture thanks to our affiliate KMG. We're awaiting, should happen in about 20 minutes if they're running on time this news conference out of Sanford, Florida. We're expecting to hear from the city manager to discuss the case. What specifically will he be saying, we don't know yet. That's why we will dip into it live. Stay with us for that. Also, experts say terror agents are now inside the U.S. They're backed by Iran. Find out who is keeping an eye on them. That's next. Plus, big news involving mortgage rates in America. They have been so low for so long, but that is suddenly changing. We have got the details. Stay right with me.