An agent from Martin Literary Management has confirmed that juror B37 of the George Zimmerman trial has signed a deal to write a book about her experiences on the jury.
Sharlene Martin, a literary and media manager for the company, said that readers of B37’s book will come to understand why the jurors had no other option but to deliver a “not guilty” verdict in the case.
B37’s identity is still protected under the court order, but she will write the book with the assistance of her husband who is an attorney. It is unknown whether the juror will release her name or participate in any media coverage about the case or her book.
After a month of sequestration and 16 hours of deliberation, the jury of six women delivered the not guilty verdict Saturday night. Previously, the jury was given limited contact to the outside world to afford Zimmerman a fair trial. After the “not guilty” verdict was made public, many people across the country were outraged and organized peaceful protests.
In light of the controversy that followed Zimmerman’s acquittal, Sharlene Martin hopes that the book can introduce a wider conversation about many aspects of the law in the United States such as gun control and race relation.
“My hope is that people will read Juror B37’s book, written with her attorney husband, and understand the commitment it takes to serve and be sequestered on a jury in a highly publicized murder trial,” said Martin. “It could open a whole new dialogue about laws that may need to be revised and revamped to suit a 21st century way of life.”
Martin said that B37 and her husband reached out to her after being recommended by a morning television producer. The couple is currently looking for publishers that are interested in their story.
During jury selection, B37 referred to Trayvon Martin as a “boy of color.” She is a middle-aged white woman with two children, and worked at a chiropractor for 16 years. Sharlene Martin has handled books written about other high profile cases in the past.