One shade of gray

Shadows are black. The jury was white. The jury in Sanford, Fla., was obligated to return a verdict based on shadows — the shadows of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin as seen, indecisively, by witnesses who could only agree that, in the dark of night, there were two men struggling.

One was black — the other was brown, but color never seemed to become an important part of the conflicting testimony. Among the witnesses called there seemed to be constant disagreement, but the jury rather quickly arrived at their decision — based, seemingly, on a shadow — the shadow of a doubt.

No matter what passions may be involved with any criminal case in any courtroom — in America, one must be judged guilty or innocent — beyond a shadow of a doubt! Simply based on media coverage alone, who among us could consider this a clear open and shut case? Oh, maybe the grand salamander of a Klan group would see it one way or that traveling comedy team of Jesse and Al would define justice differently.

But beyond the general consensus, that the prosecution was for the most part dreadful and the defense adequate, who really knows what happened that February night in Florida?

Only the shadows.

I’m Pat McMahon.

Follow @KTAR923