Lawyers specializing in civil rights stated on Monday that federal prosecutors are unlikely to pursue charges against Zimmerman, a white and Hispanic man, for shooting an unarmed black teenager, Martin, unless they can provide new evidence indicating racial motivation. A jury in Sanford, Florida recently found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the 2012 shooting. Defense lawyers argued that Zimmerman acted in self-defense when he shot Martin. Both state and federal courts require a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt by a unanimous jury or judge for a criminal conviction. The Seminole County jury's decision to acquit Zimmerman of second-degree murder suggests they did not believe he acted with ill will, spite, or hatred. Attorney General Eric Holder stated that the Justice Department has not yet decided whether to pursue federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman. Similar to cases like the Rodney King beating in 1991 and the fatal shooting of Sean Bell in 2006, the Martin case highlights the federal government's role in enforcing civil rights. Preachers, including Al Sharpton, are planning a news conference at the Justice Department headquarters in Washington on Tuesday to push for Zimmerman's prosecution, believing he racially profiled Martin and pursued him with a 9mm pistol. The hate crimes law passed in 2009 would likely be used by federal prosecutors in this case. It is necessary for prosecutors to provide evidence that someone caused physical harm to another person due to their race, whether perceived or actual. This requirement, while clear, can be difficult to meet. According to William Yeomans, a former Justice Department civil rights lawyer, the challenging part is proving the perpetrator's state of mind and demonstrating racial motivation in their actions. Samuel Bagenstos, who worked in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division under President Barack Obama, stated that the government typically relies on evidence such as racial slurs or a pattern of targeting a specific race when prosecuting these cases. Bagenstos mentioned that in many cases, the defendant makes explicit references to the victim's race during the attack, which sets a higher standard of evidence compared to what has been presented against Zimmerman so far. Before encountering Martin, Zimmerman mentioned to a police dispatcher that Martin "looks black" only after being asked about Martin's race. A juror from Zimmerman's state trial stated to CNN that she believed Zimmerman did not racially profile Martin. The juror, who was granted anonymity by the news network, said that race was not a factor in their decision. Unlike the case of King's beating by Los Angeles police officers, there is no video of the encounter between Zimmerman and Martin. The Justice Department used video evidence in the federal trial of the officers involved in King's case after they were acquitted of state charges. Prosecutors carefully examined the baton strikes on King, focusing on those that occurred after he had already been subdued in the video. The second jury was able to convict two of the officers, which helped to ease the tense racial tensions in the US that had led to riots. Wayne Budd, who oversaw the prosecution of the officers, expressed doubt about proving racial animus in Zimmerman's case based on the current evidence. Terree Bowers, the US attorney during the second trial of the police officers in 1993, mentioned that prosecutors were able to improve their case the second time around. He expressed uncertainty about the Justice Department's ability to take action against Zimmerman, mentioning the difficulty in proving racial motivation. Holder, the top US law enforcement official appointed by Obama, noted the high standard required to bring federal charges in the case of Martin's death. The Justice Department statement on Sunday also acknowledged the challenges prosecutors face due to the "limited" civil rights laws. A benefit for prosecutors is the amendment of the hate-crimes law in 2009 which removed the need to prove a link between the crime and a federally protected activity. A spokesperson for the Justice Department did not confirm if prosecutors had called a federal grand jury to review evidence against Zimmerman, which would suggest heightened prosecution efforts.