The Zimmerman Verdict: Afternoon Update

As of Monday afternoon, the two White House petitions requesting a civil rights prosecution of George Zimmerman have received over 20,000 signatures in total. (One has over 17,000 signatures; the other is nearing 3,500.) The signatures need to reach 100,000 signatures by August 13 for the White House to respond.

Attorney General Eric Holder, who would prosecute George Zimmerman if a civil rights prosecution did take place, made his first public statement on the verdict on Monday.

Calling Trayvon Martin's death "unnecessary," Holder said he believes “that this tragedy provides yet another opportunity for our nation to speak honestly about the complicated and emotionally charged issues that this case has raised. We must not—as we have too often in the past—let this opportunity pass."

Check out Holder's remarks:

So far, Obama has kept mum on the issue since his statement Sunday calling for calm.

And then there's the Zimmerman juror who's already found a book agent. The juror, who for the time being is remaining unanimous as Juror B37, reportedly reached out to the agent, not the other way around.

Literary agent Sharlene Martin of Martin Literary Management said, "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 and how important, despite one’s personal viewpoints, it is to follow the letter of the law. 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."

Let's hope there's an editor for run-on sentences.