On February 15, 2014 the jury rendered a partial verdict in the Michael Dunn Murder trial, finding him guilty on three counts of attempted murder and one count of firing into a vehicle. That same jury deadlocked on the charge of Murder in the first degree and a mistrial was ordered for that count. The mistrial allows for Dunn to be retried if the states attorney elects to retry the case.
Shortly after the verdict was rendered on four counts and the mistrial was declared on the charge of murder, HLN's Sunny Hostin went ballistic, charging the jury with racism and pretty much insinuated that anyone who agreed with the jury's finding was also a racist.
"I can't believe this jury's verdict...it just proves, once again, that the life of a young black man has no value," Hostin declared. She went on to say, "as a black mother, I am afraid for the safety of my young black son" I guess Sunny does not care about the safety of young white men. Of course, that is not racist of her. She is the mother of a son, just like my mother is the mother of a son. Our skin colors, although different, should not be the issue in her argument.
Sadly, three other news analysts were on-the-air with Sunny, listening to her rant. Of course they all slobbered over her report and tried to comfort her in her moment of on-air distress. They were afraid to take on her racist remarks. Why? They probably did not want to be labeled racist by the labeler in chief.
To Sunny's one credit; within her rant she suggested that we need to talk about race. I agree, but not because of the Michael Dunn trial. However, it is easier to talk about race if you do not talk "at" those whose opinions are not the same as yours. Sunny was definitely talking at everyone and was not considering listening to anyone. She had a "one label fits all" attitude toward anyone who did not agree with her. That label was "racist". So with that in mind, let's continue.
Work with me here, Sunny. Let's try what you suggested. Let's talk. You feel there was at least one racist on the jury. If so, why was there not a hung jury on all counts. They agreed on four verdicts, convicting Dunn on three counts of attempted murder and firing into the vehicle. The three victims of the attempted murder were black. I do not see the racism with respect to those counts, or the count of firing into the vehicle.
Look at the evidence with respect to those guilty verdicts. Dunn fired three shots while the vehicle was retreating. I understand why the jury found Dunn guilty of attempted murder, Dunn had no reason to fire at the teens while they retreated.
Further, Dunn testified he did not know he hit anyone in the vehicle at the time he was firing. That leads me to a question of my own. Why did the states attorney not file four counts of attempted murder? Maybe the law would not allow for filing murder and attempted murder against Dunn for one alleged victim (Jordan Davis). If four counts of attempted murder had been filed, Michael Dunn would be looking at an 80 year minimum sentence. Also, Jordon Davis would have received a measure of justice, because he was fired on while retreating.
Sunny, you are upset by the verdict. Many other people are upset too. Others, like me, at least have a few questions about why charges were filed as they were filed. However, the jury should not be labeled "racist" because its members did their jobs. I would not expect any of them to vote for a conviction they did not feel it was appropriate after seeing the the evidence and listening to the testimony. Did you expect them too?
My opinion; at least one person on that jury believes there was a gun in the teens' vehicle. However, that same person, or those same persons, believed that Dunn should not have fired on the vehicle after the teens started retreating. He obviously did; the evidence proves that beyond a reasonable doubt. The jury voted guilty on attempted murder because every member of the jury believed beyond a reasonable doubt it was attempted murder on every person in the vehicle, without respect to the color of their skin.
As a former federal prosecutor, and a professional legal analyst I expected more support for the justice system from you last Saturday. I am disappointed that no other analyst on HLN called you out for your racist remarks and that HLN has not fired you, or at least suspended you for for a reasonable amount of time for those racist remarks. Racism in the Michael Dunn jury room? No, but you sure tried to put it there.
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