Let me share some totally unscientific and meaningless "survey" data with you. Thursday and Friday as I went about my regular activities, I did my own crude sample of local public interest and opinion on the Cooper case. I live in Chapel Hill, about 20-25 miles from that part of Cary. My sample is of people in CH and west Durham.
As I saw friends and acquaintances at stores, post office, laundry, bank, etc., following a typical interchange "Hi, how are you, what have you been up to?", I might respond "Oh, probably watching too much of the Cooper trial." Roughly half of the people immediately starting talking about the trial, a few others did after I followed with "Have you been following it any?" Tried to avoid any bias until I got a read on their position,
heard their comments. A few of these people are friends, the rest acquaintances who I know relatively little about beyond what I see. Ages 25-65; 3/4 women; 2/3 AA. A range of education and job types. (CH-Durham is even more educated than Cary!)
And the results!
Of the 25 people, I was surprised that 2/3 were following the trial at some level, 1/3 had read various news reports in addition to TV. Several had been watching trial videos like we have. Every single one who was following the story thought BC would walk. Two volunteered that they had not watched the videos, but their SOs had and were certain BC would walk. Every single one, some a lot more certain than others. Not a one thought BC would be convicted, even those who watched WRAL as their main new source.
Their comments were varied. About how long the trial was taking; about not wanting to be on that jury; about the lack of evidence; about how much money NC and friends spent and still complained, then wanted all that money in a divorce; about what she was spending all that money on; about her not being physically abused. Many still thought BC might have killed her, but thought the case was a joke.
Out of this small sample of just over a dozen, two raised the possibility that NC was putting some of the money up her nose!
Someone a couple of days back had suggested that the women on the jury would connect with NC's plight. If the jury reactions are anything like my small sample, they should not count on being cut much slack. This crowd was harsh.
Thought I would share this for your amusement. It means nothing except wrt my friends and acquaintances. Too small a sample, even if I had constructed a valid and robust survey instrument.
It has been done. I can report, without reservation, that a person can be dragged by a sports bra. And the bra rolls either under or up, depending on how it's grabbed.
