MILWAUKEE — Emotions poured out in Milwaukee after a jury found Maxwell Anderson guilty in the death of Sade Robinson. Community members gathered to grieve, reflect and process their feelings about the verdict.
When the verdict was announced, many expressed a combination of relief and lingering sadness.
"Relief and joy," said Tasia Moore.
"I was definitely concerned it would go the other way," said Gus Hutchenson.
For many, the verdict brought a complex mix of emotions as they grappled with the reality that justice, while served, couldn't bring Robinson back.
Watch: Community reacts with mixed emotions after Maxwell Anderson guilty verdict
"I feel better. It's sad he gets to keep living and she doesn't. I'm still upset about that," Moore said.
"Joyful — but still sad and disturbed because she's not here. That still won't bring her back, but at least her family got some kind of justice — and a monster is off the street," said Nachlesely Jones.
Some community members emphasized the importance of witnessing this moment of accountability, particularly for the safety of their own families.
"I have two daughters, I have granddaughters — and they're watching. They're making sure justice is served. We wanna feel safe. We live here. We wanna make sure our community is safe," said Taquanda.
The case drew attention from beyond Milwaukee, with some traveling significant distances to be present for the verdict.
"It has been a grueling experience — the photographs of what he did to Sade's body, seeing the impact this has had on her family, really everyone in Milwaukee," said Hutchenson, who traveled from Seattle. "I've seen a number of young Black females Sade's age — Black moms talking about how to protect their children. It's been an excruciating experience."
Many expressed hope that Robinson's family might find some measure of peace.
"I hope the family finds peace now — though there's no peace in losing a daughter. Hopefully they have some sort of closure," said Nia Brittain.
The case has prompted many to think about safety and vigilance in their own lives.
"It made me call my daughter — tell her to stay away from people like that. You should always be aware of your surroundings, be more alert, because people like him take advantage of young women," Jones said.
"It still is — it's still very traumatizing. It's kinda scary. I'm going to put dating on pause for a while and make sure my daughter has Life360. It's gonna take a while to get it out of my mind," said Moore.
Some community members expressed hope that this verdict might spark broader change.
"I would just pray we be more vigilant to bring justice where it's needed. How can the community move forward — honor each other in any situation we're in," said Nick Hanson.
"Justice was definitely served today. You can rest peacefully now, Queen. Justice was served," Jones said.
For many in Milwaukee, while the verdict represents accountability, the community continues to process the pain from this tragedy.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
