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Obama Urges ‘Calm Reflection’ After Zimmerman Verdict
US President Barack Obama has called for “calm reflection” after Florida neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman was cleared of murdering black teenager Trayvon Martin.
Mr Obama said Trayvon’s death was a tragedy for America, but that it was “a nation of laws and a jury has spoken”.
The case sparked a fierce debate in the US about racial profiling.
The Department of Justice says it is investigating whether a civil case can now be brought against Mr Zimmerman.
Mr Zimmerman, 29, was cleared of all charges in relation to Trayvon Martin’s death at the trial in Sanford, Florida on Saturday.
Prosecutors had argued that Mr Zimmermanshot Trayvon Martin dead on 26 February 2012 because he had racially profiled him as he walked through his neighbourhood wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Trayvon Martin was African-American. Mr Zimmerman, who was carrying out area patrols after a spate of break-in, identifies himself as Hispanic.
The defence said he had killed Trayvon Martin in self-defence after the teenager punched their client, slammed his head into the pavement and reached for Mr Zimmerman’s gun.
On Sunday, Trayvon Martin was remembered in many church services across the country. Protests also continued, with those taking part saying justice had not been done.
In his statement, Mr Obama said the death of Trayvon Martin “was a tragedy. Not just for his family, or for any one community, but for America.”
He acknowledged the case had elicited “strong passions”, but said: “We are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken.”
Posted by
the eye
July 15, 2013 at 1:46 pm
causes of the first world war the interception of the zimmerman telegram.these names are deadly
bigbodybuilder
July 15, 2013 at 3:04 pm
A nation of Laws is not the same as a nation of Justice. This verdict is a serious violation of natural justice and human dignity. People shoot young people dead who are defenceless then say it was legal? Malabish!
Wezzy
July 15, 2013 at 4:52 pm
I watched what really transpired on the BET CHANNEL just the other day and it was really bad. Am foreseing racial conflicts once again in America
My God
July 15, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Just go twitter and raging debates black cerebrities.Zimmerman got off on the stand your ground law.The law won and not natural justice!If we stood our ground in school when we got beat down by bullies imagine how many bullies will be dead by now!What if Zim was more powerful than TM then he could have beat him to death?Some US states have ****** laws that protect more the criminal than the victim!