Alberto Gonzales: Zimmerman Verdict 'Justice Under the Law'

Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says those who are protesting the acquittal of George Zimmerman are simply dissatisfied with the progress of race relations in the United States.

"What they're doing here is they're substituting their views about the case for their general views about the state of race relations in this country," Gonzales told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

Story continues below.



"People are acting emotionally because a young man tragically died … It seems rather senseless and they want to hold someone accountable and I understand that.

"[But] people are sort of confusing the state of race relations today with the outcome of this case and while I understand it because there is frustration in the African American community."

Earlier this month, Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who he claims he shot in self-defense after the youth attacked him.

Gonzalez, who was Attorney General under President George W. Bush, said that based upon the evidence, and the application of the law, the verdict was correct.

"People need to remember that what is expected to be delivered in our criminal justice system is justice under the law and that's what happened here," he said.

"People need to look at the law as opposed to the outcome of the verdict. The prosecuting team did its job here, the defense team did its job here, and the jurors did their job here and the outcome was justice under law."

Gonzales said the case was never about race.

"Whoever was on top of George Zimmerman — whether that person had been African American, white, or Hispanic — and [is] beating his head against the sidewalk, that person would've been shot," he said.

"Trayvon Martin was not killed because he was African American."

Gonzalez said he does not agree with everything President Barack Obama said when he spoke about the Zimmerman case last Friday, but he understands why he did.

"Given the fact that apparently a significant number of the African American population is unhappy with what's going on here, I understand the president coming out and saying something," he said.

See the Steve Malzberg Show on Newsmax TV each weekday live by Clicking Here Now

You can listen to the Steve Malzberg Show each weekday live from 3-6 PM ET on SiriusXM 244.