The 2012 shooting death of 17-year-old Florida native Trayvon Martin made global headlines and became as polarizing a case as America has seen in recent memory.
George Zimmerman, the shooter who took the African-American teen’s life, was charged with second-degree murder and began trial on June 24, 2013. After 16 hours of deliberation, the 30-year-old was found not guilty on July 13, on the basis of Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law, which maintains that a person can justifiably use force and not retreat in matters of self-defense.
The verdict sparked outrage and drew criticism from celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj, as well as President Obama. While those directly connected to the case were of course the most affected, the country was deeply moved — and sometimes divided — by the verdict. Trayvon, who wore a hoodie and carried a candy and juice the night he was killed, has become a global symbol. A year later, MTV News looks at those involved in the Trayvon Martin trial to see where they are now.
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George Zimmerman
After the not-guilty verdict, Zimmerman seemed to spiral into a sea of controversy. Just days after he was acquitted, Zimmerman rescued a family of four from a car accident. But by September, his wife had filed for divorce, and two months later he was arrested after a domestic dispute with a girlfriend.
Zimmerman was scheduled to fight rapper DMX in a celebrity boxing match earlier this year, but the proposed Pay-Per-View event was cancelled after mounting public disgust. Now, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Zimmerman is broke, with only $650 in his banking account and no known residence where he pays rent or a mortgage.
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Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin
Trayvon’s parents were hit the hardest following the teenager’s death, but in their mourning Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin have also become activists. The divorcees have united in actively trying to shut down the “stand your ground” law and working to prevent racial profiling and gun violence through their Trayvon Martin Foundation.
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Mark O’Mara
While the verdict was met with heavy criticism, criminal defense lawyer O’Mara worked tirelessly to defend his client, George Zimmerman. Since the trial ended, he was appeared on CNN numerous times as a legal analyst.
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Juror B37
Juror B37 was the first juror to speak to the media after the Zimmerman trial. She said she believed that Zimmerman had good intent and that he was justified in shooting the teen. She also signed on with a literary agent, but dropped plans to release a book about the ordeal after mounting public criticism.
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Angela Corey
State attorney Angela Corey charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder, months after Sanford Police decided not to charge him at all. Since the Trayvon case, Corey has gone on to work on the Marissa Alexander case (another trial that centered around the “stand your ground” law) and the Michael Dunn/Jordan Davis case.
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