Zimmerman Found Not Guilty (MSNBC, SPLC, Bill Maher, Twitter Reax)

The jury in Sanford, FL reached a verdict tonight, and found George Zimmerman not guilty.

A verdict has been reached in the murder trial of George Zimmerman and will be presented in court shortly, bringing a case that held the attention of a nation for its overtones of race and gun rights closer to its conclusion.

The six-person jury — all women — basically had three choices: to find Zimmerman guilty of second-degree murder; to find him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter; or to find him not guilty.

Judge Debra Nelson will reconvene the jurors inside the Sanford, Florida, courtroom, late Saturday evening and will ask the them to read their verdict.

The jurors have been deliberating for 16½ hours total, including 13 on Saturday alone.

The verdict that the jury reached is a full acquittal.

The next question is, will there be riots?

Update: The Southern Poverty Law Center was quick to react badly.

Acquittal gives new meaning to the statement “They always get away.” This moment is tragic and ironic. #ZimmermanTrial

— SPLC (@splcenter) July 14, 2013

MSNBC host Chris Hayes followed suit.

Goddamit

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) July 14, 2013

As did MSNBC contributor Goldie Hayes.

Open season.

— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) July 14, 2013

Al Sharpton described the verdict as “one of the worst I’ve ever seen.”

CNN analyst and New Yorker columnist Jeffrey Toobin:

Trayvon got the death penalty for buying Skittles in a hoodie. I understand it, but still . . . #zimmermantrial

— Jeffrey Toobin (@JeffreyToobin) July 14, 2013

Verum Serum gathered up a sample of the death threats that are being tweeted at George Zimmerman.

Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey cut a ghoulish figure as she smiled through the post-trial press conference. Having lost the case, she and Bernie De La Rionda continued to prosecute the case against Zimmerman before the media. At one point Corey said “This case was never about race … but make no mistake, Trayvon was profiled.” She evidently saw no contradiction in her own remark.

More: Newark, NJ Mayor and Democratic Senate candidate Cory Booker tweeted, and then deleted.

My God. RT @CoryBooker: We can keep working 4 a society where walking in ur neighborhood isn't a death sentence

— John Ekdahl, Jr. (@JohnEkdahl) July 14, 2013

Former comedian Bill Maher stays in character.

This is America waddya expect? The only thing u aren't allowed to kill in an instant is a fetus. Hey Zim, find another hobby now that u won

— Bill Maher (@billmaher) July 14, 2013