Zimmerman cleared in shooting of Trayvon Martin

MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press, By MIKE SCHNEIDER and KYLE HIGHTOWER, Associated Press

Updated 11:17 pm, Saturday, July 13, 2013

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• George Zimmerman, right, speaks with defense counsel Don West after the jury leaves the courtroom for more deliberations, in the 25th day of his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center, in Sanford, Fla., Saturday, July 13, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (Orlando Sentinel, Joe Burbank, Pool)

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SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — Neighborhood watch volunteerGeorge Zimmerman was cleared of all charges Saturday in the shooting ofTrayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager whose killing unleashed furious debate across the U.S. over racial profiling, self-defense and equal justice.

Zimmerman, 29, blinked and barely smiled when the verdict was announced. He could have been convicted of second-degree murder or manslaughter. But the jury of six women, all but one of them white, reached a verdict of not guilty after deliberating well into the night. Their names have not been made public, and they declined to speak to the media.

Martin's mother and father were not in the courtroom when the verdict was read; supporters of his family who had gathered outside yelled "No! No!" upon learning of the not guilty verdict.

The teen's father, Tracy, reacted on Twitter: "Even though I am broken hearted my faith is unshattered I WILL ALWAYS LOVE MY BABY TRAY."

His mother also said on Twitter that she appreciated the prayersfrom supporters.

"Lord during my darkest hour I lean on you. You are all that I have," she wrote.
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