Florida NAACP President Adora Obi Nweze, watched the verdict announcement on television and was shocked, she said, but not surprised at how the trial ended.

“It was clear from the beginning that it would be a very difficult job for the prosecution,” she said in a telephone interview less than hour after the verdict was announced. “It’s unfortunate we could not get it [the trial] moved; it’s unfortunate we could not get a diverse jury, except for one person. The whole thing is just sad.

“It is a sad day for all Americans,” she said. “The fact that a child is beaten to death and people are able to go free and justification is given.”

She said she is hoping the U.S. Department of Justice takes action in the case in the form of a federal civil rights proceeding. “I’m prayerful for that,” she said.

The family of Martin Lee Anderson, meanwhile, has no justice, she said.

“He lost his life,” Nweze said. “His parents have lost a child. And the court says it’s OK. It’s a hell of a thing to live with. It’s all right to kill children. That’s what I take out of it.”

Nweze said she does not blame the three prosecutors from Hillsborough County who were appointed by the governor’s office to investigate and handle the case, she said, but they were overmatched by seven very savvy defense attorneys. At times, she could not watch the trial, which was broadcast on Court TV.

“I watched as much as I could take, she said.

“It’s not the kind of justice system in this country that we tout,” she said. “It was just the opposite.”

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was called in to investigate the case. Spokeswoman Debbie Carter said, “Our only comment is that we did our investigation, we turned it over to the court system, and the court decides what to do with it afterwards. The court makes the decisions of guilt or innocence.”

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