That call came even though the ACLU’s long-standing policy, restored in 1993 after the King debate, explicitly rejects such an option. “There should be no exception to double jeopardy principles simply because the same offense may be prosecuted by two different sovereigns,” the policy says.
Romero’s statement stirred concern among some civil libertarians that in a rush to join the chorus of outrage over the Zimmerman verdict, the group had turned its back on the policy it settled on two decades ago.
In an apparent attempt to stem the controversy, a top ACLU official wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday to make clear that the group does not favor a second prosecution of Zimmerman in federal court.
“We are writing to clearly state the ACLU’s position on whether or not the Department of Justice (DOJ) should consider bringing federal civil rights or hate crimes charges as a result of the state court acquittal in the George Zimmerman case,” Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU’s Washington office, wrote.
“The ACLU believes the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Constitution protects someone from being prosecuted in another court for charges arising from the same transaction.
A jury found Zimmerman not guilty, and that should be the end of the criminal case,” she wrote.
Read more:
For the ACLU, George Zimmerman case is awkward déjà vu - Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.com
