Juror in Zimmerman Trial Backs Out of Book Deal
Published at
Jacob Langston-Pool/Getty Images(SANFORD, Fla.) — One of the women who sat on the jury in George Zimmerman’s murder trial stood to profit financially from her experience and then backed out of what looked to be a signed book deal, reportedly because of intense public anger.
The former juror, still identified only by her court designation of B37, and her husband reached out to Sharlene Martin, president of Martin Literary Management, with a book proposal on July 14, the day after Zimmerman was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
The woman, one of six on the jury, was supposed to recount her experiences in the racially-charged trial. The not guilty verdict in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager, has triggered outrage and peaceful protests in Florida and elsewhere.
The identities of the jurors have been sealed by the court and Sharlene Martin said in a statement, “My hope is that people will read Juror B37’s book, written with her attorney husband, and understand the commitment it takes to serve and be sequestered on a jury in a highly publicized murder trial and how important, despite one’s personal viewpoints, it is to follow the letter of the law.”
However, Juror B37 issued a statement late Monday stating, “Now that I am returned to my family and to society in general, I have realized that the best direction for me to go is away from writing any sort of book and return instead to my life as it was before I was called to sit on this jury.”
Juror B37 may not have much of a choice because her announcement came after Sharlene Martin issued her own statement that said, “After careful consideration regarding the proposed book project with Zimmerman Juror B37, I have decided to rescind my offer of representation in the exploration of a book based upon this case.”
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio