Special Prosecutor Won't Use Grand Jury in Trayvon Case

The special prosecutor for Florida state's investigation into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin will not send the case to a grand jury, her office announced Monday, cautioning that the decision should not be interpreted as a signal about whether George Zimmerman will ultimately face charges.

The Associated Press reports that Angela Corey, the Florida state attorney tapped to lead the state's investigation, has a reputation for not using a grand jury if one is not required, and that her office had previously suggested that she could chose not to employ one in this case.

CNN reports that Corey had previously scheduled a grand jury for Tuesday.

Now that Corey has decided against using a grand jury, the decision on whether to charge Zimmerman is hers alone. According to the AP, Florida law requires the use of grand juries in first-degree murder cases, but not for lesser charges.

Elsewhere in Slate:

—David Weigel talks to two witnesses from the night Trayvon Martin died.

—Emily Bazelon examines which evidence a jury is likely to see should Zimmerman be charged.

—Also check out the Root's coverage of the story, and Slatest's previous updates on the case.