Poll: Nearly half of U.S. adults agree with Zimmerman verdict

NEW YORK, July 24 (UPI) -- Nearly half of U.S. adults agree with the Florida jury that found George Zimmerman innocent in the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, a poll indicates.

The online poll of 2,034 U.S. residents conducted by Harris Interactive July 16-18, found 46 percent agreed with the verdict while 45 percent indicated they disagreed. Ten percent of respondents reported they were not sure, the poll found.

When race of respondents was considered, 89 percent of blacks and 57 percent of Hispanics reported disagreeing with the not guilty verdict.

The poll found young people in the 18-34 age range were more likely to disagree than agree with the verdict, 54 percent disagreed while 35 percent agreed.

Respondents were also questioned about media coverage of the trial.

An overwhelming majority, 85 percent, found it excessive.

Approximately three-fourths of those surveyed or 74 percent, said it was inappropriate that the Zimmerman trial was more broadly covered than recent violence elsewhere in the United States.

Harris Interactive said it avoids reporting a "margin of error as they are misleading."