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Reverend Jesse Jackson Vows To Help Marissa Alexander

Cyd Hoskinson
/
WJCT

The Reverend Jesse Jackson was in town today as a local Stand Your Ground case gets national attention. The 2010 case of Marissa Alexander is back in the news because of the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial.

Alexander is the 34-year-old mother of three who’s serving 20 years for firing a warning shot in the direction of her abusive husband during a heated argument in her home.

Jackson met briefly with Alexander at the Duval County Jail this morning. Afterward, he called on State Attorney Angela Coreyto revisit the case.

“There’s something so patently unjust about this," says Jackson. "A woman who is not guilty of shooting or killing anyone is in jail for 20 years. A man who did kill someone is out free. The gap is too great.”

Jackson was referring to neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who was acquitted over the weekend of killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

A rally for Marissa Alexander is planned for 5:00 Wednesday evening at Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church in Jacksonville.

Cyd Hoskinson began working at WJCT on Valentine’s Day 2011.