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Juror B-29: "George Zimmerman Got Away With Murder"
Barely two weeks since George Zimmerman was acquitted in the death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, many supporters and opponents of the verdict are learning more details about what went on in the jury room.
Not long after Juror B37 and alternate Juror E54 broke their silence, another juror has now come forward to explain the verdict.
Juror B29 is showing her face as she talks with ABC News about the decision to acquit the former neighborhood watch volunteer.
"George Zimmerman got away with murder, but you can't get away from God," Juror B29 says.
“Anguished and apologetic, Juror B29–going by the name Maddy–told ABC's Robin Roberts that she favored convicting George Zimmerman of second degree murder,” reports CNN’s Pamela Brown.
"For myself, he's guilty,” she says, “…but as the law was read to me if you have no proof that he killed him intentionally, you can't say he's guilty."
Maddy says that after more than 16 hours of deliberations, she struggled to find the proof to convict. "Maddy concedes she still struggles with the verdict and the public outcry that followed,” Brown reports.
“I literally fell on my knees and broke down,” she says. “I kept saying to myself, ‘I feel like I killed him.’”
She also says she owes Trayvon's parents an apology.
“I would like to apologize because I feel like I let them down.”
Trayvon martin's mother released this statement in response.
"This new information challenges our nation once again to do everything we can to make sure that this never happens to another child.”
A Tale of Two Jurors in Zimmerman Trial
Nearly a week after George Zimmerman was declared a free man, he is still not getting his gun back.
While Zimmerman was acquitted in the death on unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, the case isn’t over for him yet. The Justice Department is requesting a hold on evidence from his murder trial while it continues to investigate the case.
Meanwhile, two jurors from the trial are now speaking out. Juror B37 spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper, and Alternate Juror E54 spoke to TV station WOFL in Orlando, also requesting anonymity.
While they both arrived at the same verdict, their interviews reveal they have very different views of the defendant and what he did on that February night.
“Both think it was George Zimmerman's voice calling for help in that crucial 911 call, and they both believe Zimmerman didn't racially-profile Trayvon Martin,” CNN’s Brian Todd reports.
“But the two jurors have polar-opposite views on whether Zimmerman should've gotten out of his car and followed Martin that night.”
Jury expert and law professor Andrew Ferguson compares the two jurors through their interviews.
"That pressure of deciding and judging another human being is incredible, and here you have ordinary citizens wrestling with it,” Ferguson says. “They're wrestling with it at that moment about how we could do it, how do we process it, and did we do a good job?"
Ferguson explains that the fact that jurors are not trained for this task and given very little preparation for it, then told to make a decision, adds to that pressure. “And for many of them, they're given more power than they ever had,” Todd reports. “It adds up to enormous stress, he says, and that certainly played out in the Zimmerman trial.”
Fallout Over Zimmerman Verdict Continues
It’s been four days since a jury declared George Zimmerman a free man, but the calls to action continue.
The fallout is widespread with rallies and protests across major U.S. cities demanding a change after a jury acquitted the former neighborhood watch volunteer in the killing of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.
“'Justice for Trayvon rallies'” are scheduled in 100 cities Saturday, to urge civil rights charges against George Zimmerman,” reports CNN’s Victor Blackwell.
And just days after Anderson Cooper’s exclusive interview with one of the jurors in the Zimmerman trial first aired, we're learning more about how the Zimmerman jury spent their 22 days sequestered when they weren’t in court.
“The six female jurors occasionally left the hotel – with court approval – going bowling, shopping, and to the movies," Blackwell says. "Seminole County officials estimate sequestration cost the county $33 thousand, all to isolate them from the controversy surrounding the trial.”
More from Anderson Cooper's exclusive interview with Juror B37
We have more this morning from Anderson Cooper's exclusive interview with Juror B37 on AC360.
The interview is proving controversial as four other jurors have now issued a statement, saying, "The opinions of Juror B37, expressed on the Anderson Cooper show were her own,” and not in any way representative of their views.
They add that serving on the jury was a draining experience, saying, “The death of a teenager weighed heavily on our hearts but in the end we did what the law required us to do."
Juror B37 tells Anderson Cooper emotions were high in the jury room as the six women deliberated.
Visit CNN.com for details from the interview.
Protests continue days after Zimmerman acquitted – Miguel Marquez reports
The fallout continues over the acquittal of George Zimmerman since the neighborhood watch volunteer was found not guilty of all charges Saturday.
Frustration at that decision has turned to protest and calls for action.
Miguel Marquez is covering that story.
“These protesters have come to police headquarters to make the point that the death of Trayvon Martin has now prompted – they hope – a national movement,” Marquez reports.
“Frustration over the verdict in a few places has turned violent.” A photographer and reporter were even assaulted in LA.
Follow along at CNN.com for developments.
Defense set to make its final argument to the jury – George Howell reports
After days of intense drama at the George Zimmerman trial, the prosecution made its case yesterday. The defense makes its closing pitch today.
Zimmerman’s attorneys will argue to the jury today why their client is not guilty of murder or manslaughter in the death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.
CNN’s George Howell is in Sanford, Florida with more from the courtroom.
“Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda went into great detail, pointing out inconsistencies in Zimmerman's story, from the national television interview Zimmerman did, to the video reenactment he conducted with police,” Howell reports.
“The prosecutor then picked apart Zimmerman's account of what happened.”
Tune in to CNN as the trial continues.
Defense rests, prosecution set to offer closing arguments – George Howell reports
Today may mark the final chapter in one of the most watched cases in years.
Prosecutors in the George Zimmerman trial will make their final arguments to the jury why he should be found guilty of murder for killing unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.
Meanwhile, the defense rested its case yesterday, without the jury hearing from the defendant. CNN’s George Howell has that report.
After a tense exchange between Judge Deborah Nelson and Zimmerman's Lawyers he had decided not to testify.
The drama of the trial then focused on a dummy.
“During one of the most surreal moments in court, both sides straddled a foam dummy, in attempts to illustrate the conflicting arguments as to what happened the night Trayvon Martin was killed,” Howell reports.
“Persecuting Attorney John Guy argued that it would have been difficult for Zimmerman to shoot at a 90 degree angle had Trayvon Martin been on top as presented by the defense…”Then Defense Attorney Mark O'Mara grabbed the dummy to support his argument.”
Now, the trial moves on to its final stages as Judge Nelson makes another important ruling today. She will decide whether or not to grant the prosecution's request to apply lesser charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault.
The jury will begin deliberations Friday afternoon.
Debate over forensics at day 11 of Zimmerman trial – George Howell reports
A dramatic series of arguments to report at the George Zimmerman trial yesterday.
Day 11 of the trial turned into a debate over forensics, and who was where when the fatal shot hit Trayvon Martin.
The judge left open a key decision, over data jurors might see when they are back in court just a few hours from now.
George Howell reports details live from Sanford, Florida.
“Judge Debra Nelson, the Prosecution, and Defense wrangled late into the night—10pm—over whether to admit text messages & photos from Trayvon Martin's phone, and a computer animated reconstruction of the crime scene, that defense attorneys want admitted as evidence,” Howell reports.
“Judge Nelson questioned whether Martin actually sent the messages, or someone else. Defense Attorney Don West meanwhile argued the text messages and photos weren't turned over by the prosecution in a timely manner.”
In the end, the judge didn't rule on either issue, adjourned court, and walked off after hours of arguments.
Defense witnesses dispute Prosecution claims in Zimmerman trial – George Howell reports
The defense presented its case in the George Zimmerman trial yesterday.
Jurors heard from a parade of witnesses, all disputing a key prosecution claim that the voice screaming for help on the 911 call the night Trayvon Martin died was Martin’s. Defense witnesses hammered home the same answer to make their case that the voice screaming on the call was actually George Zimmerman's.
Today, the defense is set to introduce its own controversial piece of evidence: A toxicology report on Trayvon Martin.
George Howell has details.
“Judge Debra Nelson ruled that testimony regarding marijuana levels in Trayvon Martin's system will now be allowed as evidence for jurors to consider, as this trial moves into day 11,” Howell reports.
Defense now making its case in Zimmerman case – George Howell reports
The George Zimmerman trial enters its third week today with the defense now making its case.
Friday brought family members to the stand to try and explain a critical piece of evidence: Screams on the 911 tape.
The former neighborhood watch volunteer’s mother Gladys Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton were among those who took the stand.
CNN’s George Howell has more.
