Police chief in Trayvon Martin case could be fired over teen's death

Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee Jr. ,left, and lead investigator Chris Serino

The Florida police chief in the case of slain teen Trayvon Martin received a vote of no confidence from city commissioners on Wednesday night.

Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee, whose department has come under fire for not arresting George Zimmerman after he shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old on a drizzly night in late February, could now either be fired for forced to resign by City Manager Norton N. Bonaparte, Jr., according to local station WESH-TV.

If Bonaparte doesn't remove Lee, he said he would take responsibility for any future problems with the embattled police chief and his department, the station reported.

Although the Police Department is the target of the troubling questions, let me assure you we too feel the pain of this senseless tragedy that has dramatically affected our community," Bonaparte said in a statement.

Lee, 52, came on the job in May after the former chief was ousted in the wake of another racial scandal, according to local reports.

In Dec. 2010, a Sanford police lieutenant's son was caught on tape beating a homeless black man outside a downtown Sanford bar.

Justin Collison was questioned by police at the scene, but was not arrested until a month after the incident, when news stations began airing the video. He was later charged with battery and disorderly conduct.

Lee's critics on the commission said their 3-2 vote sent a strong message that the police department had bungled the case.

"I've never thought the chief was a racist or anything. It's more of a lack of experience and a lack of leadership," Commissioner Velma Williams, who called for the chief's resignation, told the Miami Herald.

The city manager also released a letter listing Lee's answers to some of the most serious questions surrounding the Martin case, including why Zimmerman was not arrested and why he was carrying a gun.

When the Sanford Police Department arrived at the scene of the incident, Mr. Zimmerman provided a statement claiming he acted in self-defense which at the time was supported by physical evidence and testimony," Lee said. "By Florida Statute, law enforcement was PROHIBITED from making an arrest based on the facts and circumstances they had at the time."

On why Zimmerman had a gun, Lee said that the 28-year-old "holds a concealed weapons permit issued from the State of Florida" and "is authorized to carry the weapon in a concealed manner."

"Mr. Zimmerman was not acting outside the legal boundaries of Florida Statute by carrying his weapon when this incident occurred," Lee wrote. "He was in fact on a personal errand in his vehicle when he observed Mr. Martin in the community and called the Sanford Police Department."

Public scrutiny surrounding the case has focused on Zimmerman's 911 call to report a suspicious person, in which the dispatcher told Zimmerman to stay put after he said he was following the teen.

In the letter, Lee said the dispatcher's "suggestion" - the exact words were "we don't need you to do that" - was "not a lawful order that Mr. Zimmerman would be required to follow."

"Zimmerman's statement was that he had lost sight of Trayvon and was returning to his truck to meet the police officer when he says he was attacked by Trayvon," Lee wrote.