George Zimmerman Charged with Second-Degree Murder, Santorum Ends Campaign and Egypt Suspends Drafting of New Constitution
George Zimmerman turned himself into police custody and was arrested on the 11th of April. Zimmerman was charged with the murder of Trayvon Martin, who was killed on February 26th of this year. Charges were only filed against Zimmerman on April 10th, nearly two weeks after Martin was shot while returning from a trip to 7-11 to buy Skittles and iced tea. This long period between Martin’s killing and police action was due to the controversy surrounding the incident as it related to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, allowing for the use of force if a person believes himself to be in danger. State law enforcement officers and prosecutors presumed that Zimmerman had felt threatened, and they were therefore unwilling to try and fight Florida’s law. The case has spawned protest movements across the country, has highlighted the “Stand Your Ground” law, and has increasingly become a question of racial profiling, as it is believed that Zimmerman may have referred to Martin with a racial slur shortly before confronting and then shooting him.
Santorum Ends Campaign
Rick Santorum announced on April 10th that he was ending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Due to this change in the political landscape, Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, will now almost certainly be the Republican nominee. It was reported that Romney hopes to campaign with Santorum in the general election and has asked for his endorsement. Romney needs to gain 485 more delegates to win the nomination, or the nominee will be determined at the Republican National Convention in August.
Egypt Suspends Drafting of New Constitution
Over a year after Hosni Mubarak left office, the assembly of 100 Egyptians tasked with writing a new constitution was dismissed on April 10th by Egypt’s administrative court. The assembly was determined not to fully represent Egypt’s ethnic, social, and religious diversity. The court ordered Egypt’s parliament to elect a new panel eligible to write the constitution from outside of parliament. The constitution was set to be finished before Egypt’s first presidential elections since the Revolution, but after recent events, it is unlikely that the May 23rd deadline will be met.