Like the rest of the nation, North Texans found out and reacted to news that George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
A Florida jury announced its verdict Saturday night after more than 15 hours of deliberations over two days. The killing of the unarmed black teenager last year unleashed a debate across the U.S. over racial profiling, self-defense and equal justice.
NBCDFW found two distinctly different reactions at Klyde Warren Park in Dallas.
“I think that the verdict is correct,” said Eileen Elledge. “I'm really glad to hear that, yes. I'm not surprised but I'm relieved. It really could have gone either way, look at O.J. Simpson, things happen all the time, so, it’s really hard to know what would happen, but I'm relieved that it did.”
Another woman gave another view.
“Heartbreaking for the family, very saddened for them that they weren't able to find justice or get justice for their son,” said Tywanna Nicholls. “Just in listening on the radio about the trial I heard that the prosecution wasn't really doing a great job and that the jury can only hear the evidence and the case had to be proven and they didn't do a very good job of proving their case.”
Last March, “hoodie” rallies were held at Paul Quinn college in Dallas as well as at the University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Woman’s University in Denton. The case drew massive protests and discussions about racial profiling after a 44-day delay in Zimmerman’s arrest.
