Rachel Jeantel, the prosecution’s infamous “star witness” in the case against George Zimmerman, sat down with Piers Morgan on CNN Monday night to have a little chat about her friend Trayvon Martin, being judged, and her thoughts on the verdict.
The 19-year-old was brutally honest on the stand. In fact, maybe too honest for America and, apparently, the jury. Juror B37, the only one out of five to speak out after the trial, expressed that she thought Rachel was not a good witness and did not find her credible:
“I think she felt inadequate toward everyone because of her education and her communication skills. I just felt sadness for her. She was embarassed by being there because of her education — she just wasn’t a good witness. A lot of the times she was using phrases I have never heard before and what they meant.”
Rachel’s response to “not wanting to be there”:
“It’s not that I didn’t want to be there. It’s a lot of stress. I was dealing with a lot of stress for 16 months, I think. I was grieving.”
Her response to the people who call her stupid and mock her for the way she speaks:
“A lot of people have the same issue I have right now. I had this situation since Kindegarten. I have an underbite. [I have] a bone. I have to have surgery to push it back. Right now I don’t want to do it because it takes a year to heal.”
On the kind of guy Trayvon Martin was:
“He was a calm, chill, loving person. Loved his family. Definitely his mother. And a good friend.”
On people who label Trayvon Martin as a “thug”:
“First of all, Travyon is not a thug. They need to know the definition of a thug to be judging a person, a teenager. A teenager can post anything [on social media] to just brag (in reference to leaked photos of Trayvon wearing grills).”
On whether or not Trayvon Martin did drugs:
“Weed, for Trayvon, I can explain one thing: weed don’t make him go crazy. It just make him go hungry.”
On why she didn’t attend Trayvon Martin’s funeral:
“I didn’t put Trayvon in that casket. That’s what people need to understand. I did not plan to be at a funeral. That day, I was so shaken. Like, wow, is this really happening? Is he really dead?”
On missing her friend:
“Yes [I miss him]. He is a funny person. The area I currently stay at–the whole area misses him.”
On Zimmerman’s defense lawyer Don West:
“Mm-mm-mm. I’m going to have to say he’s lucky I’m a Christian. The only reason I have not said nothing to Don West [is] cause my parents taught me better. You don’t have the right to disrespect an adult.”
On George Zimmerman being acquitted of all charges:
“[I felt] disappointment. Upset. Angry. Questioned. And mad.”
After her interview on Piers Morgan, radio host Tom Joyner felt inspired to help Rachel advance in her studies by having her tutored to pass the SAT’s and finish high school.
But his offer did not end there. He also offered to fund a full scholarship for Rachel to any HBCU (Historically Black College and Universities) of her choice.We are so happy to see good things happening in spite of the tragic outline of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case.
Let us become less judgmental and more helping and understanding of one another. We need that right now.
WATCH RACHEL JEANTEL’S PIERS MORGAN INTERVIEW HERE:
