White House press secretary Jay Carney said Monday that Trayvon Martin's death "reflects, symbolizes the loss we see daily in this country to gun violence." Carney added he was "not sure" if President Obama had discussed the case with Eric Holder.
The president said in a statement Sunday on the Zimmerman trial verdict that "we should ask ourselves if we're doing all we can to stem the tide of gun violence that claims too many lives across this country on a daily basis."
Carney deflected numerous other questions about the case from reporters in the daily press briefing.
The decision is "not something the president involves himself in," Carney said, adding it would be "inappropriate" for Obama "to express an opinion about what the Department of Justice should do."
The Department of Justice has said that "experienced federal prosecutors will determine whether the evidence reveals a prosecutable violation of any of the limited federal criminal civil rights statutes within our jurisdiction, and whether federal prosecution is appropriate."
Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to speak about the case Tuesday at the NAACP convention in Orlando.