The inquiry into why George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin will take place where it belongs — in the court system, not in the media or on the streets.

?Special Prosecutor Angela B. Corey made the right decision Wednesday to charge Zimmerman in Martin's death. The Sanford community has a dead, unarmed teenager and numerous unanswered questions about how it happened. There is probable cause to suspect the shooter acted in an unlawful manner. It's best to let the judicial process sort through the evidence to try to find the truth.

? Whether Corey was correct to charge Zimmerman with second-degree murder instead of a lesser charge, such as manslaughter, remains to be seen. To persuade a jury to convict, she will have to prove that Zimmerman had a "depraved mind" and shot Martin out of "ill-will, spite, malice or hatred." That might be difficult given the murky circumstances of the confrontation.

? Perhaps Corey levied the murder charge because it allows the state to keep the defendant behind bars longer (he can't post bail unless a judge holds a hearing and sets a bond). Or perhaps she's hoping Zimmerman will plead to a lesser charge rather than risk going to trial. A conviction for second-degree murder with a firearm can carry a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison (and a maximum of life); manslaughter carries no minimum sentence.

? Then there's the possibility that Zimmerman will go free without a trial — because of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law.

? Under that statute, a person is immune from being prosecuted for using deadly force if he "reasonably believes" he is in life-threatening danger. The defense can request a pretrial hearing and ask a judge to dismiss the charges if the defendant can prove he was acting in self-defense covered by "Stand Your Ground."

? That, of course, has been a central theme of the Martin story. Critics say the law gives Floridians far too much leeway to use deadly force, essentially letting private citizens be judge, jury and executioner in a confrontation. Supporters of the law argue it contains sufficient limits, and many believe that, based on what is publicly known about the Feb. 26 encounter in Sanford, Zimmerman did not commit a justifiable homicide under "Stand Your Ground."

? But then, what is publicly known may very well be incomplete. Certainly, some of the reporting has been shoddy, to say the least. In addition, the case has been superheated by inflammatory racial rhetoric. The criminal justice system is needed to fill in the gaps and clarify what happened, dispassionately and fairly — for both sides — before passing judgment. The pursuit of justice should be a pursuit of the truth.

REPRINTED FROM THE PANAMA CITY NEWS HERALD