In the videos below, former police chief of Sanford, Florida, Bill Lee, describes the events surrounding the George Zimmerman arrest and subsequent charge of second degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin, which Zimmerman asserts was in self-defense.
In an exclusive interview with CNN's George Howell, Lee says the whole case was hijacked in a number of ways by "outside forces" and he was pressured to arrest Zimmerman to placate the public rather than as a matter of justice.
"It was (relayed) to me that they just wanted an arrest. They didn't care if it got dismissed later," he said. "You don't do that."
Lee continued on to say "The police department needed to do a job, and there was some influence -- outside influence and inside influence -- that forced a change in the course of the normal criminal justice process. With all the influence and the protests and petitions for an arrest, you still have to uphold your oath."
"That investigation was taken away from us. We weren't able to complete it," he said.
[WATCH]- Ex-police chief: I felt pressured to arrest Zimmerman
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