"I know this case has elicited strong passions. And in the wake of the verdict, I know those passions may be running even higher," Obama's statement read. "But we are a nation of laws, and a jury has spoken."
On Saturday, a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old. Jurors deliberated for more than 16 hours over two days, pondering the fate of Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot Martin during a violent confrontation on a rainy night in February, 2012.
The jury announced it had reached a verdict late Saturday evening, reports The Huffington Post.
The trial lasted for four weeks, featured more than a dozen witnesses and sparked national debate on civil rights, guns and racial profiling. Gavel to gavel coverage of the trial has been a mainstay on cable news networks and it has been a topic of contentious discussion on television and social media.
According to the Associated Press, Zimmerman, 29, showed almost no emotion as the verdict clearing him of all charges was read.
A few hours prior to reaching a verdict, jurors sent a note to Judge Debra Nelson asking for clarification on the manslaughter charge.