A new poll produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates
shows a deep divide between African Americans and whites regarding their views of the shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Overall, 4 percent of those polled said the killing was justified, 44 percent said it wasn't and 51 percent said they didn't know enough to say one way or the other. But 80 percent of blacks say the shooting of the unarmed 17-year-old by George Zimmerman was not justified, while only 38 percent of whites say it wasn't. Just one percent of blacks and five percent of whites say the killing was justified, with 19 percent of blacks and 56 percent of whites saying they need more information before deciding.
Blacks are more apt than whites to oppose “stand your ground” laws allowing the use of deadly force in response to threatening situations. And blacks very broadly feel that racial minorities receive unequal treatment in the criminal justice system; whites divide on this. [...]
On the broader issue, 55 percent of the public thinks blacks and other racial minorities don’t receive equal treatment in the criminal justice system, ranging from 49 percent of whites to 84 percent of African-Americans. Again, people who think blacks and other minorities don’t receive equal treatment in the justice system are a broad 30 percentage points more apt to see the Martin shooting as unjustified, compared with those who think treatment is equal.
On both "stand your ground" laws and the fairness of the system, people of other racial groups fall between whites and African-Americans, opposing self-defense laws by 52-43 percent and seeing minorities as unequally treated by 62-30 percent.
A
poll by the Pew Center for People & the Press showed a similar divide between blacks and whites in their views about media coverage of the case.
Stories of Interest:
• Trayvon Martin’s Family’s Attorney Responds as Zimmerman’s Lawyers Withdraw Counsel
• George Zimmerman Talks to the Loop 21 in Email Correspondence
• Sanford 'a kindling box' as prosecutor weighs charges
• George Zimmerman Had More Legal Authority To Shoot And Kill Than Our Troops Do At War
• Sanford bracing for decision on Trayvon Martin
• Sean Hannity Spoke To George Zimmerman Off The Record, Former Lawyers Say