Athletes React on Twitter to Not Guilty Verdict in Trayvon Martin Case

On Saturday night, George Zimmerman was found not guilty of second-degree murder or manslaughter in the February 2012 shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida, per CNN's Greg Botelho.

Many prominent athletes paid attention to the trial as it unfolded. Twitter reaction was rampant when a six-person jury decided Zimmerman's fate.

Opinions varied across the board, but general sentiment tended to empathize with Martin.

Victor Cruz expressed his sentiments (h/t ridethepine.com), but deleted the tweet not long after posting it.

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry thought that the lesser charge was certain for Zimmerman but was rather shocked to learn of the verdict going in Zimmerman's favor:

Miami Heat superstar Dwyane Wade tied in his experiences as a father when he tweeted his feelings on the matter:

Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul was nearly at a loss for words but sent his regards to the Martins:

Clippers swingman Jared Dudley compared the outcome to another high-profile case in Florida:

Chicago Bulls center Nazr Mohammed had conflicting feelings on the jury's verdict himself but pondered the consequences with regard to future cases:

Retired NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal was in disbelief:

Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins made a sweeping generalization to express his frustration:

Miami Marlins outfielder Bryan Petersen chimed in and provided a rare defense of those who defended Zimmerman:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Da'Quan Bowers tried to look at the broader, long-term ramifications of Martin's case in the immediate aftermath:

Former University of North Carolina basketball star Sean May hoped that violence wouldn't be a consequence stemming from the verdict:

That was echoed by New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma:

Some of the more blunt, uncensored reactions came from Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White:

White later apologized for his post-verdict tweet:

Boston Celtics big man Jared Sullinger opted to focus on Martin's parents and how they might be feeling:

This is a case that is likely to go down as one of the most significant in American history, and many more are bound to weigh in—especially given additional time to digest the jury's verdict.