George Zimmerman has been found not guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
Jurors deliberated more than 16 hours before delivering the verdict late Saturday evening, ending a trial that gripped the nation. Zimmerman showed little reaction when the verdict of the six-woman jury was read, but shook hands with his lawyers. Martin’s family was not present in the courtroom. After hearing the verdict, Judge Debra Nelson told Zimmerman he was free to go.
Martin, who was 17, was unarmed and returning from a convenience store when he was fatally shot by Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in February 2012. Zimmerman said he shot Martin in self-defense during a struggle on that rainy night. Defense attorneys argued that Martin was profiled and murdered by Zimmerman during the subsequent fight.