But to Mr. Holder, Mr. Zimmerman is far from cleared of any wrongdoing.

“I’m not sure exactly how much longer that will take, but we will get to a point where we are able to make a determination” about a civil rights lawsuit, he said, Breitbart.com reported.

The White House has watched the case closely. President Obama even weighed in at one point, suggesting during one speech that Mr. Zimmerman was guilty of racial profiling and during another public statement that his own son, if he had one, would look like Trayvon.