Verdict Reactions

[nomatter_nevermind]

As I mentioned on another thread, I woke up about 12:00 AM EDT, and heard the verdict on CNN. I flipped between CNN and HLN for a few minutes before getting on the computer.

I saw some video of what looked like a pretty big, and peaceful, march in San Francisco. Reports of calm from around the country.

After reading and posting here, I looked over Twitter. TM family's lawyers making upbeat comments, Sanford is (somehow) a better place because of this (Jackson), we must learn lessons so this kind of thing doesn't happen again (Crump). Crump made an appeal for peace. Parks said TM's parents were in a 'safe location' when the verdict was read, not in court on advice of their lawyers.

[nomatter_nevermind]

This will probably be my first post-verdict deletion, but I'm feeling compelled to share with the gang. I checked out Leatherman. Yes, I have a taste for schadenfreude. No apologies.

Like Rachel Jeantel's testimony, it's funnier than I expected. They're turning on each other.

Leatherman himself posted a brief reaction. The verdict is tragic and 'just so wrong', condolences to TM's family, analysis in 'coming days'.

Enter the commenters. One asked what's wrong with Florida, another said it's any place with white people, provoking a rousing defense of Canada. Then various commenters opined on which U.S. states would, and which would not, let 'the murderer' walk.

That's when they started calling calling each other racist. Something about a lawn jockey.

I didn't see that coming. That joke sure is on me. I thought better of them.

I thought I would just sample the comments, but now I'm thinking I might read all 600+ of them. This is entertainment.

[nomatter_nevermind]

Twitter reporting people protesting the verdict in Oakland have smashed some windows. The Oakland Tribune on Broadway and 20th is named (photos 1, 2). Not clear if that's the only building.

[annoyedbeyond]

This will probably be my first post-verdict deletion, but I'm feeling compelled to share with the gang. I checked out Leatherman. Yes, I have a taste for schadenfreude. No apologies.

Like Rachel Jeantel's testimony, it's funnier than I expected. They're turning on each other.

Leatherman himself posted a brief reaction. The verdict is tragic and 'just so wrong', condolences to TM's family, analysis in 'coming days'.

Enter the commenters. One asked what's wrong with Florida, another said it's any place with white people, provoking a rousing defense of Canada. Then various commenters opined on which U.S. states would, and which would not, let 'the murderer' walk.

That's when they started calling calling each other racist. Something about a lawn jockey.

I didn't see that coming. That joke sure is on me. I thought better of them.

I thought I would just sample the comments, but now I'm thinking I might read all 600+ of them. This is entertainment.

Other than your mad, ocd attention to detail, I'm beginning to think we're the same person. 

[cboldt]

I thought I would just sample the comments, but now I'm thinking I might read all 600+ of them. This is entertainment.

Totally expected reaction on the part of the people who have such strong confirmation bias that simple facts are rejected over and over and over.  Somehow the thought that Martin might have actually looked suspicious (even to them!) escapes their memory and thought process.  Somehow a beat down against a pudgy guy who isn't capable of (and is likely unwilling) striking back, who is screaming for help, is "doing nothing wrong."

Notice how many members of the press are similarly reality challenged.  That's what I find most fascinating.

[RickyJim]

Is the Corey/Prosecution post verdict press conference available,, in its entirety, online?  I have just found snippets.  TIA.

[annoyedbeyond]

Is the Corey/Prosecution post verdict press conference available,, in its entirety, online?  I have just found snippets.  TIA.

The only one I've found so far is 7 minutes and some seconds long and is missing the opening statements by all the attorneys (at least). There are two versions of that one on youtube.

[RickyJim]

I thought I would just sample the comments, but now I'm thinking I might read all 600+ of them. This is entertainment.

Under the title,
George Zimmerman Not Guilty: Jury Lets Trayvon Martin Killer Go
the Huffington Post story has over 28000 comments at around 10:30AM EDT.  Surprisingly the HuffPost moderators have been letting more anti Crump team comments through than they used to.  They also have a nice slide show of the media reaction.

[RickyJim]

This version of the Corey Press Conference seems to be complete.

[DebFrmHell]

This will probably be my first post-verdict deletion, but I'm feeling compelled to share with the gang. I checked out Leatherman. Yes, I have a taste for schadenfreude. No apologies.

Like Rachel Jeantel's testimony, it's funnier than I expected. They're turning on each other.

Leatherman himself posted a brief reaction. The verdict is tragic and 'just so wrong', condolences to TM's family, analysis in 'coming days'.

Enter the commenters. One asked what's wrong with Florida, another said it's any place with white people, provoking a rousing defense of Canada. Then various commenters opined on which U.S. states would, and which would not, let 'the murderer' walk.

That's when they started calling calling each other racist. Something about a lawn jockey.

I didn't see that coming. That joke sure is on me. I thought better of them.

I thought I would just sample the comments, but now I'm thinking I might read all 600+ of them. This is entertainment.

Ain't they just a kick in the butt?  I have gone over there a few times during the trial and went away wondering if they were on another channel.  Total disconnect from facts.

I shouldn't laugh at them but I think it is indicative of the ProTM boards that are cloaked in privacy.

 

[annoyedbeyond]

This version of the Corey Press Conference seems to be complete.

Thanks Ricky. I didn't get to see the whole thing last night.

[nomatter_nevermind]

Fox News: 'Protests of Zimmerman verdict mostly peaceful; sporadic vandalism reported'.

Most of the California demonstrations proved peaceful, although matters were marred by sporadic reports of stray violence and vandalism, including the halt of a passenger train, the burning of American and California flags, the lighting of small fires in city roadways, shattered storefront windows and the spray painting of a courthouse, as well as the damaging of a police squad car.

In Oakland, police said about 100 people protested, with some among the crowd breaking windows and starting fires in the streets. As the protest eventually fizzled, the office of police information added that it had no word of any arrests as of 2 a.m. local time.

However, some Oakland marchers reportedly vandalized a police squad car, and police were -- at one point - forced to form a line to block the protesters' path.

The Oakland Tribune reported some downtown office windows had been shattered, and footage from a television helicopter portrayed people starting fires in the street and spray painting anti-police graffiti. Protesters, there, also reportedly burned an American, and California state flag and spray painted Alameda County's Davidson courthouse.

Meanwhile, in Florida, media outlets reported mostly subdued sadness, and no violence or large gatherings.

Outside the Seminole County courthouse, where the trial took place, the Orlando Sentinel reported that a bewildered crowd of about 150 received the not-guilty verdict with chants of, "No justice, no peace."

Supporters of Martin's family who had gathered outside the courthouse yelled out "No! No!" when the verdict was announced. "Today, justice failed Trayvon Martin and his family," said Roslyn M. Brock, Chairman of the NAACP, in a statement. "We call immediately for the Justice Department to conduct an investigation into the civil rights violations committed against Trayvon Martin. This case has re-energized the movement to end racial profiling in the United States."

[woodchuck64]

Are there no civil-rights leaders with the moral courage to simply affirm the verdict, admit that the case shouldn't have been brought and move on to actual racial injustices?  Surely one of them has actually read the details and studied the case.

Despite Obama's minor misstep in this case, I still feel he's someone who has consistently handled complex racial issues with calm rationality instead of overheated emotional rhetoric.  I look forward to hearing if he has something to say on this issue, perhaps right after the Justice department declines to  prosecute Zimmerman.

[annoyedbeyond]

Are there no civil-rights leaders with the moral courage to simply affirm the verdict, admit that the case shouldn't have been brought and move on to actual racial injustices?  Surely one of them has actually read the details and studied the case.

Despite Obama's minor misstep in this case, I still feel he's someone who has consistently handled complex racial issues with calm rationality instead of overheated emotional rhetoric.  I look forward to hearing if he has something to say on this issue, perhaps right after the Justice department declines to  prosecute Zimmerman.

Please don't. I can scarcely resist the temptation, and Jeralyn doesn't like political arguments 'round here.

[nomatter_nevermind]

Now posted at the White House website.

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:

Civil Rights Prosecution of George Zimmerman by United
States Department of Justice for death of Trayvon Martin

Petition Requesting Prosecution of George Zimmerman for depriving Trayvon Martin of his Constitutional
Rights of Life and Liberty by the United States Department of Justice, Eric Holder, United States Attorney
General in United States District Court as swiftly and expeditiously as is possible.
Created: Jul 14, 2013

I don't think the DOJ will act. Some time ago I researched this, and found that they had declined cases that in my opinion are stronger than this one.

They would also need evidence of racial motivation to bring such a case against a private person, and no such evidence is known to have been found.