Survey shows divide in reaction to Zimmerman verdict

WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) -- The American public is divided over the not guilty verdict of the George Zimmerman trial and its racial factor, a survey released Monday indicates.

A national survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center, finds 39 percent of respondents satisfied with Zimmerman's acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin, and 42 percent dissatisfied.

Of white respondents, 49 percent were satisfied and 30 percent dissatisfied. Black respondents were 5 percent satisfied, 86 percent dissatisfied, and Hispanic respondents said they were 25 percent satisfied, 58 percent dissatisfied, the survey said.

Reactions to the verdict were deeply split along party lines as well, with a majority of Republicans, 61 percent, expressing satisfaction with the verdict, compared to only 22 percent of Democrats and 42 percent of independents.

The survey was conducted July 17-21 in telephone interviews of 1,480 adults in the United States, and has a total margin of error of 3 percentage points.