After more than 16 hours of deliberation, a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
On Friday, the six person all-female jury was left to deliberate with three choices for a verdict: guilty of second-degree murder; guilty of manslaughter; and not guilty. The manslaughter charge had just been introduced Thursday after the Judge Nelson, who presided over the case, ruled over the defense’s objection to allow for a manslaughter conviction as an alternative to a murder verdict.
The verdict brings to a close a case that has led to passionate debate over the past year, often focusing on issues of race and gun control.
Immediately following the verdict, many in the hip-hop community, which had been united in its support for Trayvon Martin’s family throughout the case, took to Twitter to express outrage over the verdict, including Q-tip who remarked “This is worse than Rodney King. So Crazy”. Wyclef Jean took to his twitter account to say “May God be with the family of Trayvon Martin”. Missy Elliott tweeted at Timbaland, eclaiming “@Timbaland U see This Verdict??? SMH!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable!”.
Throughout the case, the fact that George Zimmerman fired the bullet that killed Trayvon was not in dispute, the details of the events leading up to that fateful moment were the factors that were in dispute throughout the trial. Much of it focused on Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law, which allows deadly force to be used by a person who believe he or she in imminent danger.
No Comments