George Zimmerman has been found not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin.
After almost two days of deliberations, the all-female jury found George Zimmerman not guilty of murder or manslaughter, a lesser charge that had been considered by the jury. Zimmerman shot and killed teenager Trayvon Martin while a part of the neighborhood watch in Sanford, Florida. Martin was unarmed when he was shot and killed by Zimmerman
Martin had gone out for some iced tea and some Skittles when he was shot by Zimmerman, who claimed he acted out of self-defense.
Updates:
10:43 P.M.: "I think the prosecution of George Zimmerman was disgraceful," said one of his lawyers, Don West, in a press conference right now. "I'm grateful that the jury didn't make this travesty into a tragedy."
"We proved George Zimmerman is not guilty," West continued. West is in an apparently relieved, joyful mood, and says that Zimmerman is feeling "good."
"It was a little David and Goliath, but we won," his other lawyer Mark O'Mara said.
10:48 P.M.: O'Mara is cracking jokes with his co-prosecutor and the collected press is finding a good amount of humor in the proceedings.
"We will see how many civil proceedings will come out of this fiasco," O'Mara says, referring to further trials.
10:52 P.M.: "George Zimmerman would have never been tried by Florida if he was a black man," O'Mara just said. "If he was black, those people who would have decided to make him a scapegoat would not have."
10:54 P.M.:
PHOTO: George Zimmerman is congratulated by his legal team following the not-guilty verdict. pic.twitter.com/nK1Q8bLzVw
— CP24 (@CP24) July 14, 2013
11:06 P.M.: "You made Zimmerman into a monster," O'Mara tells the media, then leaves the podium.
11:15 P.M.: The Martin family attorney, Ben Crump has taken the podium:
"We are very saddened by the jury's verdict. The family is heartbroken. Sabrina Fulton and Tracy Martin would like to thank people around the world for their support. To everybody that put their hoodies up. To everybody that said, "I am Trayvon.
To Tracy and Sabrina, your tireless work. We know Trayvon is up there, proud. This morning, Martin Luther King's daughter Tweeted me that this was a defining moment for the progress of her father's dream. He would want us to conduct ourselves on the higher plane of dignity and discipline.
For Trayvon to rest in peace, we must all be peaceful."
11:21 P.M.: Trayvon's father has tweeted his reaction to the verdict.
God blessed Me & Sybrina with Tray and even in his death I know my baby proud of the FIGHT we along with all of you put up for him GOD BLESS
— Tracy Martin (@BTraymartin9) July 14, 2013