Reactions to the Zimmerman verdict in photos
After nearly 16 hours of deliberations, a jury has found George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of Trayvon Martin. Reactions from around the country in photos.
- Attorneys Natalie Jackson, Benjamin Crump((2nd R), and Daryl Parks (R) representing the family of Trayvon Martin sit stoically as George Zimmerman’s not guilty verdict is read in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center in Sanford, Florida, July 13, 2013. (Gary W. Green/Reuters)
- A Seminole circuit clerk of the court reads the verdict announcing George Zimmerman is found not guilty in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center in Sanford, Florida, July 13, 2013. (Joe Burbank/Reuters)
- George Zimmerman listens as the verdict is announced that the jury finds him not guilty, on the 25th day of his trial at the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (Joe Burbank/Getty Images)
- Melinda O’Neal (L) breaks into tears and hugs Shedrick Burfect in front of the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center after learning George Zimmerman had been found not guilty in the Murder of Trayvon Martin on July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, shot and killed 17-year-old Martin after an altercation in February 2012. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Kat Crowe (L) and Melinda O’Neal react in front of the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center after learning George Zimmerman had been found not guilty in the Murder of Trayvon Martin on July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Tanetta Foster breaks into tears in front of the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center after learning George Zimmerman had been found not guilty in the Murder of Trayvon Martin on July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Tanetta Foster is comforted by Erika Rodgers (L) after she breaks into tears in front of the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center after learning George Zimmerman had been found not guilty in the Murder of Trayvon Martin on July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Melinda O’Neal (L) breaks into tears and hugs Shedrick Burfect in front of the Seminole County Criminal Justice Center after learning George Zimmerman had been found not guilty in the Murder of Trayvon Martin on July 13, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Diane Whitaker (R) comforts Carmen Taylor as they react to the verdict outside Seminole County Court where George Zimmerman was found not guilty on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Sanford, Florida July 13, 2013. (Steve Nesius/Reuters)
- Darssie Jackson (C) reacts with her children Linzey Stafford, 10, (L) and Shauntiana Stafford outside Seminole County Court where George Zimmerman was found not guilty on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Sanford, Florida July 13, 2013. (Joe Skipper/Reuters)
- Demonstrators react to the verdict outside Seminole County Court where George Zimmerman was found not guilty on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Sanford, Florida July 13, 2013. (Joe Skipper/Reuters)
- Onlookers react to the verdict outside Seminole County Court where George Zimmerman was found not guilty on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Sanford, Florida July 13, 2013. (Steve Nesius/Reuters)
- A woman holding a child reacts to the verdict outside Seminole County Court where George Zimmerman was found not guilty on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Sanford, Florida July 13, 2013. (Joe Skipper/Reuters)
- Cheryl Smith reacts in Goldsboro, Florida, after learning that Geroge Zimmerman was found not guilty in the death of Trayvon Martin, Saturday, July 13, 2013. (Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
- Protesters march in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles, California, following the George Zimmerman verdict, July 13, 2013.(Jason Redmond/Reuters)
- A driver on Crenshaw Boulevard holds an American flag with the words “No justice for Trayvon,” following the George Zimmerman verdict, in Los Angeles, California July 13, 2013. (Jason Redmond/Reuters)
- A protester blocks an Expo Line train at the intersection of Exposition and Crenshaw boulevards, following the George Zimmerman verdict in Los Angeles, California, July 13, 2013. (Jason Redmond/Reuters)
- A protester marches with other protesters in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles following the George Zimmerman verdict in Los Angeles, California, July 13, 2013. (Jason Redmond /Reuters)
- Protesters hold an image of Trayvon Martin while marching in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles, California, following the George Zimmerman verdict, July 13, 2013. (Jason Redmond/Reuters)
- A woman spray paints Trayvon Martin’s name in Oakland, California, Sunday, July 14, 2013, after learning that George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group/MCT)
- Oakland police extinguish a fire in Oakland, California, Sunday, July 14, 2013. Protesters became destructive after learning that George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group/MCT)
- “Justice For Trayvon” is written on the ground as people gather at Union Square in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin trial, in New York July 14, 2013. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)
- Will Reese holds a protest sign in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin trial, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York, July 14, 2013. (Keith Bedford/Reuters)
- A protester holds a sign during a rally in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin trial, in the Harlem neighborhood of New York July 14, 2013. (Keith Bedford/Reuters)
- L-R: Aesha Felton, Roberta Felton and Milton Felton, cousins of Trayvon Martin speak to the media outside the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church a day after the verdict to the George Zimmerman murder trail July 14, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Slain teenager Trayvon Martin and his family were members of this church. A jury found neighborhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman not guilty of shooting and killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin after an altercation in February 2012. (Gaston De Cardenas/AFP/Getty Images)
- Parishioners attend Sunday service at Allen Chapel AME church in the historic black neighborhood of Goldsboro on July 14, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. During the service Pastor Valarie Houston compared seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in February 2012 by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, to civil rights icons Medgar Evans and Emmitt Till. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- Pastor Valarie J. Houston makes a statement about the not guilty verdict for George Zimmerman at the Allen Chapel AME Church in Sanford, Florida, July 14, 2013. (Steve Nesius/Reuters)
- Parishioners attend Sunday service at Allen Chapel AME church in the historic black neighborhood of Goldsboro on July 14, 2013 in Sanford, Florida. During the service Pastor Valarie Houston compared seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in February 2012 by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, to civil rights icons Medgar Evans and Emmitt Till. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
- People hug during services at Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan honoring Trayvon Martin on July 14, 2013 in New York City. George Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges in the shooting death of Martin July 13 and some congregants wore hoodies during the service to honor Martin. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
- People sit during services honoring Trayvon Martin at Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan on July 14, 2013 in New York City. George Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges in the shooting death of Martin July 13 and some congregants wore hoodies during the service to honor Martin. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
- Worshippers at the Middle Collegiate Church hold prayer services wearing hoodies in support of slain teenager Trayvon Martin in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in his trial in New York, July 14, 2013. (Keith Bedford/Reuters)
- Trayvon Martin supporters stand in front of a lighted American flag in Times Square after marching from a rally for Martin in Union Square in Manhattan on July 14, 2013 in New York City. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
- Hundreds of activists demand justice for Trayvon Martin after marching to Times Square from New York’s Union Square July 14, 2013. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)
- Supporter Sam Saylee poses at a rally honoring Trayvon Martin at Union Square in Manhattan on July 14, 2013 in New York City. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
- People hold photos of Trayvon Martin at a rally honoring Martin at Union Square in Manhattan on July 14, 2013 in New York City. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
- A police helicopter flies overhead as Americans angry at the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of black teen Trayvon Martin protest in Los Angeles, California July 14, 2013. (Robyn Beck//AFP/Getty Images)
- Americans angry at the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of black teen Trayvon Martin stand on train tracks to block trains in protest in Los Angeles, California July 14, 2013. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)
- Demonstrators block traffic on the Interstate 10 freeway as they protest the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin trial, in Los Angeles, California July 14, 2013. (Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters)
- Demonstrators march during a protest against the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin trial, in Los Angeles, California July 14, 2013. (Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters)
- A man shouts during a protest march against the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin trial, in Los Angeles, California July 14, 2013. (Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters)
Thousands protest Zimmerman verdict across U.S.
Victoria Cavaliere, Reuters
8:30 a.m. EDT, July 15, 2013
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Thousands of demonstrators demanding “Justice for Trayvon” marched in major cities across the United States on Sunday to protest the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.
While a jury of six women absolved Zimmerman of any crime with their not-guilty verdict, civil rights leaders decried the decision, and demonstrators took to the streets in New York, Boston, San Francisco and other cities.
U.S. President Barack Obama called for a peaceful response to the case that has polarized the U.S. public over the past 16 months. In general, the demonstrations were peaceful, though the New York march became disorderly at times, and in Los Angeles protesters blocked a major highway.
Defense lawyers argued that Martin, 17, attacked Zimmerman, who shot the teen in self-defense. Prosecutors said Zimmerman, 29, who is white and Hispanic, wrongly suspected Martin of being a criminal because he was black.
Zimmerman called police to report a suspicious looking person, then left his car with a fully loaded Kel Tec 9mm pistol concealed in his waistband. A fight ensued in which Zimmerman suffered a bloody nose and head injuries, and then shot Martin once in the heart, killing him.
“Trayvon was profiled, pursued and ultimately killed because of the color of his skin,” said Angela Tovar, 33, an urban planner from Brooklyn.
About 1,000 to 2,000 of the demonstrators abandoned the protest site at Union Square to march in the streets toward Times Square, slowing or stopping traffic.
Police attempted to funnel the crowd into controlled lanes but were unable to. Later they halted the march about eight blocks short of Times Square, but the demonstrators made their way around the officers.
About 1,000 people sat in Times Square, drawing curious looks from the tourists who packed the so-called Crossroads of the World.
The protest was lively, led by several men on bullhorns.
The Los Angeles protest stopped traffic for about 25 minutes, prompting police to issue a citywide tactical alert, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In Boston, about 500 racially mixed protesters left their demonstration site in the Roxbury neighborhood and started marching in the streets alongside police escorts on motorcycles and on foot. Police called the march “very orderly.”
“Morally it cannot be right, that a child cannot go about his business and go to the store,” said Maura Twomey, 57, an acupuncturist. “Racism is not just an issue for the black community. It’s for all of us.”
Demonstrators raised signs saying “We Demand Justice,” “Stop Racial Profiling” and “Never Forget. Never Again. Justice for Trayvon.”
Roughly 500 people rallied on the streets of San Francisco, some carrying yellow signs with Martin’s photo. About a dozen police motorcycles and vans trailed the tidy group of marchers, who banged on drums as they walked and continuously chanted, “Justice for Trayvon Martin.”
“I feel a moral obligation to be in the street and object to this kind of racist policy,” said Naomi White, 69, a retired teacher from San Francisco. “George Zimmerman got away with murder.”
(Additional reporting by Adrees Latif in New York, Ross Kerber in Boston and; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Christopher Wilson)
LOCAL REACTION
Baltimore Sun: Batts, ministers call for peaceful reaction to Zimmerman verdict
Baltimore Sun: With police keeping watch, group rallies in Baltimore over Zimmerman verdict
Baltimore Sun: Calls for civil-rights case follow Zimmerman verdict