本案发生于去年2月26日，地点在佛罗里达州三福市(Sanford)，29岁的辛默曼当时觉得17岁的马丁形迹可疑，予以跟踪，二人后来发生冲突，辛默曼开枪把对方射杀。由于此案涉及种族及自卫权等争议，备受各界重视，甚至欧巴马总统都发表意见。
审判期间，两造证人提出互相冲突的种种戏剧化证词，都想证明己方无辜。听证期间，同一个辛默曼被人勾绘出两个截然不同的面貌，一个是充满仇恨的守望互助队长，一心只想自己执法，冷血杀人。另一个面貌是：他是尽忠职守的守望互助员，由于性命遭到威胁，不得已为自卫而开枪杀人。
SANFORD, Fla.--George Zimmerman,the man accused of murdering Trayvon Martin, was found not guiltyof second-degree murder and manslaughter on Saturday.
The verdict is the culminationof a case that captured the nation's attention and will undoubtedlybe imprinted in America's history. The not guilty verdict means thejury of six women found that Zimmerman justifiably used deadlyforce and reasonably believed that such force was "necessary toprevent imminent death or great bodily harm" to himself — Florida'sdefinition of self-defense.
Zimmerman showed no emotion asthe verdict was read. After the verdict was read, he smiledslightly and shook hands with one of his lawyers.
The women decided Zimmermandidn't "intentionally commit an act or acts that caused death" ordemonstrate a "depraved mind without regard for human life"--Florida's definitions of manslaughter and second degree murder,respectively.
"It means there was reasonabledoubt," said Susan Constantine, a jury consultant and body languageexpert who attended Zimmerman's trial regularly. "They just couldnot put the pieces together."
The case has gripped the nationsince the shooting happened on Feb. 26, 2012. Police initially didnot charge Zimmerman with a crime, citing Florida's"stand-your-ground" law, which allows someone who believes they arein imminent danger to take whatever steps are necessary to protectthemselves.
Protests ensued in severalcities, including New York, by supporters of Trayvon's family. Manyprotesters voiced the opinion that Trayvon was targeted and killedfor racial reasons. Trayvon was black and Zimmerman isHispanic.
"You have a little black boy whowas killed," said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the parents ofTrayvon. "It's going to be reported in history books and 50 yearsfrom now, our children will talk about Trayvon Martin's case likewe talk about Emmett Till."
Emmett Till, a 14-year-old blackyoung man, was tortured, murdered and grossly disfigured inMississippi after being accused of flirting with a whitewoman.
In Zimmerman's case, StateAttorney Angela Corey stepped in and charged Zimmerman with murderon April 11, 2012. Prosecutors however never argued that Zimmermanracially profiled the teen and instead said the teen was profiledas a criminal.
The five-week trial ofZimmerman, held in the same Florida city where Trayvon was killed,brought the facts of the case under a nationally televisedspotlight, with every moment captured on camera. More than 50witnesses testified and on the first day of deliberation requesteda list of the plethora of evidence that lawyerspresented.
Some of the items includeseveral statements Zimmerman gave to police, Trayvon's autopsyreport and photos of both Zimmerman's injuries and Trayvon's body.Witnesses included forensic experts who testified about the anglein which Trayvon was shot, the position Zimmerman's gun may havebeen in, and where DNA and blood was found.
Other witnesses offeredconflicting statements about how the fight happened, who had theupper hand when Zimmerman shot and who was screaming for help in a911 call recording.
Eyewitness Jonathan Good said hesaw Trayvon on top of and striking Zimmerman moments before theteen was shot. While Selma Mora, who lived a couple of houses downfrom Good, said Zimmerman was on top and told her to call thepolice.
A 911 call recorded screams andthe fatal gunshot moments before the shooting. Who was screamingwas a critical question before the jury.
The defense called nine people-- including both of Zimmerman's parents -- to testify that thescreams belonged to Zimmerman. Both of Trayvon's parents and hisbrother all said Trayvon was screaming moments before he wasshot.
In at times riveting detail,prosecutors tried their best to convince jurors that Zimmerman wasa killer who "tracked" Trayvon, an innocent teenager, and murderedhim before police arrived.
"That child had every right tobe afraid of a strange man following him," prosecutor John Guy toldjurors before they began deliberations. "This case isn't aboutstanding your ground. It's about staying in your car."
Fellow prosecutor Bernie de laRionda focused heavily on the state's theory that Zimmerman,frustrated by recent burglaries in his neighborhood, profiledTrayvon as a criminal and choose to take the law in his ownhand.
"A teenager is dead, and he'sdead through no fault of his own," de la Rionda said to jurors."He's dead because another man made an assumption."
The majority of legal expertsUSA TODAY interviewed however said the prosecution had a weak casebased largely on circumstantial evidence. Some said the state couldpossibly succeed if they appealed to the emotions of jurors.However, sympathy was not supposed to play a part in the verdictand defense attorneys reminded jurors of that factrepeatedly.
Mark O'Mara, an attorney forGeorge Zimmerman cast Trayvon as the aggressor saying the teen mayhave been charged with aggravated battery had he survived theshooting. Trayvon, instead of going home, likely hid, waited forZimmerman and confronted him, the lawyer said.
"Trayvon Martin came towardsGeorge Zimmerman," O'Mara said. '"That is not an unarmedteenager.'
O'Mara explained saying Trayvonused his fists and a concrete sidewalk to threaten great bodilyharm.
He also focused on what he saidwas the state's failure to prove Zimmerman did anything legallywrong. "Where is one shred of evidence to support the absurditythat they are trying to have you buy?" O'Mara asked pointedly inhis closing statement to the jury.
Elizabeth Parker, a formerprosecutor who is now a criminal defense attorney in Palm Beach,Fla., said the defense did a good job of humanizing Zimmerman.
"The defense did a phenomenaljob of presenting their case through the state's witnesses," Parkersaid. "They were able to get George Zimmerman's testimony inthrough several witnesses --sparing him from having to undergovigorous cross-examination by these bulldogprosecutors."
One such is example was thetestimony of Sanford police officer Christopher Serino, called bythe state and later the defense, Parker said. Serino agreed withprosecutors that Zimmerman may have been profiling Trayvon but saidno physical evidence or witness statements contradicted Zimmerman'sclaim of self-defense and that the medical examiner's reportsupported Zimmerman's version of events.
Still, Valerie Houston, pastorof Allen Chapel AME Church in Sanford, said she hoped Zimmerman wasconvicted because he followed Trayvon and initiated the eventsleading up to the shooting. Many meetings in support of Trayvon andhis family were held in her church and Houston joined those whoearly on asked for Zimmerman to be arrested.
"I feel that he's guilty,"Houston said. "If he's not found guilty people will bedisappointed--the African American community for sure."
Now that the verdict is in,people who share Houston's views will have to accept that thejustice system believes Zimmerman is innocent.
However, despite now being afree man, Jose Baez, a Florida criminal defense attorney, saidZimmerman will likely go into hiding and be unable to live a normallife for some time.
"The end is not near for GeorgeZimmerman," he said.
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