Lawyers specializing in civil rights stated that federal prosecutors are unlikely to pursue charges against Zimmerman, a white and Hispanic man, for shooting Martin, an unarmed black teenager, unless new evidence suggests racial malice was involved. Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the 2012 shooting of Martin by a jury in Sanford, Florida. The defense argued that Zimmerman acted in self-defense. Both state and federal courts require a unanimous jury verdict or a judge's decision beyond a reasonable doubt for a criminal conviction. The jury's decision to find Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder indicates they did not believe he acted with ill will, spite, or hatred. Attorney General Eric Holder stated that the Justice Department is still considering whether to bring federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman. The Martin case, similar to past incidents like the Rodney King beating and the Sean Bell shooting, highlights the federal government's role in enforcing civil rights. Preachers, including Al Sharpton, are organizing a news conference at the Justice Department to urge Zimmerman's prosecution, believing he racially profiled Martin and pursued him with a gun. The hate crimes law, passed in 2009, would likely be used by federal prosecutors in this case. It is necessary for prosecutors to prove that someone caused physical harm to another person "because of the actual or perceived race" of the victim. This requirement can be difficult to meet as it involves showing the perpetrator's state of mind and racial motivation. Evidence such as racial epithets or a pattern of targeting a specific race is typically used by the government in these cases. According to former Justice Department civil rights lawyer William Yeomans and former Justice Department Civil Rights Division member Samuel Bagenstos, statements made by the defendant during the attack specifically referring to the race of the victim are often key pieces of evidence. This evidence is more substantial than what has been presented against Zimmerman so far. Before encountering Martin, Zimmerman informed a police dispatcher that Martin appeared to be black only after being asked about his race. A juror from Zimmerman's state trial stated in an interview with CNN that she did not believe Zimmerman racially profiled Martin, and that race was not a factor in their decision. Unlike the video evidence available in the case of Rodney King's beating by Los Angeles police officers, there is no video of the encounter between Zimmerman and Martin. The Justice Department used the video from King's case heavily in the federal trial against the officers who were acquitted of state charges. Prosecutors closely examined the baton strikes inflicted on King, focusing on those that occurred after he had already been restrained in the video. The second jury found two of the officers guilty, which helped to ease tensions in the racially charged atmosphere in the US, which had seen riots. Wayne Budd, who supervised the prosecution of the LAPD officers, expressed doubt about the government's ability to prove that Zimmerman acted out of racial hatred based on the available evidence. Terree Bowers, the US attorney in Los Angeles during the officers' second trial in 1993, noted that prosecutors were able to strengthen their case during the retrial. He expressed uncertainty about the Justice Department's ability to take action against Zimmerman, stating that he was unsure of what evidence they could gather if they chose to pursue the case. Holder, who was appointed by Obama as the chief US law enforcement official, mentioned in April 2012 the difficulty of proving racial motivation. He acknowledged the high standard required to bring federal charges in this case, and stated that they were still working towards meeting that standard in regards to Martin's death. The Justice Department released a statement on Sunday highlighting the challenges prosecutors face, specifically mentioning the limitations of civil rights laws. Prosecutors now have an advantage due to a change in the hate-crimes law in 2009, which removed the need to prove a connection between the crime and a federally protected activity. A Justice Department spokeswoman did not confirm on Monday if prosecutors had called a federal grand jury to hear evidence about Zimmerman, which would suggest increased activity on their part.