Lawyers specializing in civil rights stated on Monday that federal prosecutors are unlikely to pursue charges against Zimmerman, who is white and Hispanic, for shooting Martin, an unarmed black teenager, unless new evidence shows racial malice was a factor. In Sanford, Florida, a jury acquitted Zimmerman of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the 2012 shooting death of Martin. Defense attorneys argued that Zimmerman acted in self-defense when he shot the 17-year-old. Both state and federal courts require a unanimous jury or a judge's decision to convict a defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury's verdict of not guilty for second-degree murder indicates they did not believe Zimmerman 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. Similar to high-profile cases such as the Rodney King beating and the Sean Bell shooting, the Martin case highlights the federal government's role in enforcing civil rights. Al Sharpton and other preachers are planning a news conference at the Justice Department headquarters to push for Zimmerman's prosecution, believing he racially profiled Martin before shooting him. The hate crimes law passed in 2009 is the law that federal prosecutors would likely use against Zimmerman. It is necessary for prosecutors to demonstrate that an individual caused physical harm "due to the actual or perceived race" of the victim, a requirement that, while clear, can be difficult to meet. According to William Yeomans, a former civil rights lawyer at the Justice Department, the challenging aspect is always proving the perpetrator's state of mind, as the law mandates that there was racial motivation and that the defendant was thinking in racial terms. Samuel Bagenstos, who worked in the Civil Rights Division during President Obama's first term, stated that the government typically relies on evidence such as the attacker's racial slurs during the incident or a consistent pattern of targeting a specific race. He mentioned that in these types of cases, the defendant often makes statements directly referencing the victim's race during the attack, which is stronger evidence than what has been presented against Zimmerman so far. Zimmerman mentioned Martin's race to a police dispatcher only after being asked, and a juror in his trial stated that she did not believe race played a role in the encounter. Unlike the Rodney King case, there was no video evidence of the incident with Martin. The Justice Department later used video footage to try the officers involved in the King case on federal charges. Prosecutors closely examined the baton strikes on King, focusing on those delivered after he had already been restrained according to the video evidence. The conviction of two officers by a second jury helped alleviate tensions in the racially charged atmosphere in the US, which had led to riots. Wayne Budd, who supervised the prosecution of the LAPD officers, expressed doubts about proving racial bias in Zimmerman's case based on the available evidence. Terree Bowers, the US attorney during the 1993 trial, noted that prosecutors were able to strengthen their case in the second trial. He expressed uncertainty about the Justice Department's ability to take similar action against Zimmerman. Holder, the head of the US law enforcement and appointed by Obama, mentioned the challenge of proving racial motivation in April 2012. He emphasized the high standard required to bring federal charges and acknowledged the difficulties faced by prosecutors in this case. The Justice Department statement on Sunday also mentioned the limitations of civil rights laws. A benefit for prosecutors is a modification in the hate-crimes law in 2009 that removed the need to prove a link between the crime and a federally protected activity, such as voting. A Justice Department representative declined to comment on whether prosecutors had called a federal grand jury to review evidence about Zimmerman, which could suggest increased involvement on their part.