Harry Reid Says DOJ Should Review Trayvon Martin Verdict

As Americans dissect George Zimmerman’s not guilty verdict last night, Harry Reid was among lawmakers speaking out about the decision and its impact on the country — officially addressing calls for the Justice Department to review the decision.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) was one of several lawmakers to address the Zimmerman verdict, and what Trayvon Martin’s shooting death means for Americans in a racially divided country.

Speaking on Meet The Press, Reid said Martin’s death and the verdict rendered last night were likely not the end of the road, and he explained:

“I’ll accept the verdict and take a look at the law that they have in Florida that was so unusual… I think that’s up to the state, I think they should revisit that.”

Reid added that the DOJ is likely to re-examine the verdict, saying:

I think the Justice Department is going to take a look at this. This isn’t over with and I think that’s good. That’s our system, it’s gotten better, not worse.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) also weighed in on the Zimmerman verdict, but did not acknowledge a possible DOJ review of the Trayvon Martin case.

Cole said:

“This is a tragedy that should have never happened… Clearly Zimmerman should have never gotten in that car, shouldn’t have had a gun, shouldn’t have been out. The police advised him to stay home. But what we don’t know is what happened in the actual encounter, and I think that’s what the jury struggled with.”

#Breaking: The Department of Justice says it will review the Travyon Martin-George Zimmerman case

— POLITICO (@politico) July 14, 2013

After Harry Reid’s statement on NBC’s Meet The Press about DOJ review of the Trayvon Martin case, Politico reported that the department will indeed examine the verdict — but did not yet provide details on where the information was coming from, in what regard the case would be reviewed, or why the Justice Department might become involved.

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