Nelson and Crist call for Justice Department investigation into death of Markeis McGlockton

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Representative Charlie Crist request Justice Department to investigate Markeis McGlockton's shooting death

In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General John Gore, three senators and two members of Congress asked the Civil Rights Division of the Ministry to open the investigation. McGlockton, 28, was shot dead on July 19 in a convenience store near Clearwater, in what the authorities have so far considered a "stand your ground" shooting

with Nelson and Crist, Senator Kamala Harris , D-Calif. Cory Booker, DN.J., and Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., Signed the letter. The Hastings District includes parts of Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

The death of McGlockton, who is black, in the hand of 47-year-old Michael Drejka, white, has reignited the debate on Florida's controversial booth. your land "law of self-defense." Drejka said he feared further attacks after McGlockton pushed him to the ground during an argument over a parking lot

The Sheriff of Pinellas Township, Bob Gualtieri, announced last week that his agency was prevented from arresting Drejka because of the law.The case will soon be forwarded to the Pinellas State Prosecutor's Office. Pasco to decide if there is cause to lay charges

Britany Jacobs, McGlockton's girlfriend, holds civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, known to represent the families of Trayvon Martin. At a press conference Thursday, Crump said the race was a factor in the case, pointing out that Drejka has harbaded black men in the convenience store before the Tampa Bay Times spoke to a man who said that Drejka had used a racial insult after parking at same place last month.

Elected officials and candidates in this year's midterm elections called varying degrees of response to the shootings and law reform. Read more about them on The Buzz blog of Tampa Bay Times.