The Slatest

Slatest PM: George Zimmerman Wants to Be a Lawyer

SANFORD, FL - JULY 13: George Zimmerman (L) is congratulated by his defense team after being found not guilty, on the 25th day of his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida.

Photo by Joe Burbank-Pool/Getty Images

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From Defense to Offense: Politico: “George Zimmerman plans to resume his defamation lawsuit against NBC now that his trial is over, his attorney said Sunday. … Zimmerman sued NBC Universal in December for defamation after The Today Show ran edited audio from the night of Trayvon Martin’s death that portrayed Zimmerman as a racial profiler.”

Justice Department Weighing Action: CBS News: “Attorney General Eric Holder promised that the Justice Department ‘will continue to act in a manner that is consistent with the facts and the law’ as it considers whether to pursue criminal civil rights charges against George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin. ‘We are determined to meet division and confusion with understanding and compassion - and also with truth,’ Holder said Monday in Washington, D.C., at the national convention for the African-American sorority Delta Sigma Theta. ‘We are resolved, as you are, to combat violence involving or directed at young people, to prevent future tragedies and to deal with the underlying attitudes, mistaken beliefs and stereotypes that serve as the basis for these too common incidents.’”

Good Luck, Experts Say: Associated Press: “Legal experts say it won’t be easy for the Justice Department to mount a federal civil rights case against George Zimmerman…. One observer, former U.S. Attorney Alan Vinegrad, says the department would have to show, among other things, that the attack was unjustified and racially motivated. Those are some of the same challenges that complicated the unsuccessful state case.”

He Wants a Law Career: Reuters: “After his acquittal on murder charges for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman may go to law school to help people wrongly accused of crimes like himself, close friends told Reuters on Sunday. … Even [defense attorney Mark] O’Mara and Zimmerman’s brother, Robert, admitted his life would never be the same after the trial, which has forced him to go out in disguise and wear bullet proof vests because of threats to his life.”

More Coverage—

Happy Monday. Welcome to the Slatest PM, where we’re rounding up the day’s top stories and trying desperately to stay cool. Follow me, your afternoon news guide, on Twitter at @s_brodez and the whole team at @slatest.

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Bad Astronomy: That’s a Horrible Idea.

Snowden an Unwanted Guest in Russia: Associated Press: “Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday characterized National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden’s long stay at a Moscow airport as an unwelcome present foisted on Russia by the United States. In comments reported by Russian news agencies during a meeting with students, Putin noted that Snowden flew to Moscow on June 23 ‘without invitation,’ intending only to transit to another country. But Putin says the United States intimidated other countries against accepting Snowden, effectively blocking him from flying further.”

The Slatest: Edward Snowden’s Insurance Policy

Senate Might Go Nuclear: Politico: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid isn’t backing down from the ‘nuclear option’ as Democrats and Republicans clash ahead of a rare meeting in the Old Senate Chamber. But a group of Republicans are talking to the Democratic leader on Monday, hoping to meld a ‘framework’ that would allow the Senate to head off the historic rules change proposed by the Democrats, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told POLITICO after meeting with Reid Monday afternoon.”

Weigel: Did One Democrat’s Decision This Weekend Cost the Democrats Control of the Senate?

U.S. Gets Cold Shoulder in Cairo: Reuters: “The first senior U.S. official to visit Egypt since the army toppled its elected president was snubbed by both Islamists and their opponents on Monday, while supporters of the ousted leader demonstrated in the streets. After meeting the interim head of state and the prime minister, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns insisted he was not in town ‘to lecture anyone.’ But many on either side of Egypt’s divide suspect Washington of plotting against them.”

The Slatest: The Official Royal Birth Announcement Will Likely Include a Low-Speed Helicopter Chase

Pakistani Taliban Aids Syrian Rebels: NBC News: “Leaders of the Pakistani Taliban claim to have sent ‘hundreds of fighters’ to Syria to support local mujahideen forces in their struggle against President Bashar Assad. Senior commanders in the militant Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group considered close to al-Qaeda, said they were sending fighters on the request of their ‘Arab friends.’ ‘When our Muslim brothers sought our help, we sent hundreds of fighters to fight alongside their Arab friends,’ a senior Tehrik-e-Taliban commander said Sunday, on the condition of anonymity.”

The Slatest: Asiana to Sue TV Station for Its Cringe-Worthy Reporting

Scandal-Plagued San Diego Mayor Not Resigning: Los Angeles Times: “Mayor Bob Filner, facing calls for his resignation amid allegations that he sexually harassed female staff members, said Monday morning that he will not resign. ‘I’m not going to resign, and here’s why,’ Filner said in a statement. ‘As your elected mayor, I fully expect to be accountable to the citizens of San Diego for all of my actions.’ … Although Filner last week admitted to treating women on his staff poorly, he stopped short of admitting to sexual harassment. He also promised to seek professional help, take a sexual harassment class, and apologize to women he may have offended.”

Crime: This Alleged Child Molester Plotted His Escape for His Entire Life. Can the U.S. Marshals Catch Him?

Apple Investigating iPhone Electrocution: BBC: “Apple has said it will ‘fully investigate’ reports that a woman was electrocuted in China while trying to use an iPhone while it was recharging. The 23-year-old’s brother has given an interview saying that her family believes she received a shock when trying to answer a call on the handset. News agency Xinhua has confirmed police are investigating the death of Ma Ailun in the north-western city of Xinjiang.”

The Slatest: In Georgia, the Companies that Make Execution Drugs Are “State Secrets”

Obama Praises George H.W. Bush: NBC News: “In a rare and warm appearance, former President George H.W. Bush returned to the White House on Monday. The 89-year-old was there to hand out the 5,000th award from his ‘Points of Light’ Foundation, but the celebration also recognized the 41st president’s legacy of charity and altruism. … President Barack Obama credited the 89-year-old Bush with sparking a ‘national movement’ to advance volunteerism and community service as the 41st president of the United States, joined Obama onstage.”

A Few More Quick Hits from Slate:

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