Trayvon Martin's Shooter Goes On Trial In Florida

Martin's February 26, 2012, death ignited protests across the country. Much of the public outcry centered on race issues because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, who is white and hispanic, on grounds that he killed the 17-year-old Martin in self-defense. A national outcry forced the city's police chief to resign and the governor to appoint a special prosecutor.Prosecutors say Zimmerman profiled and confronted Martin, despite a police dispatcher instructing him not to do so.

Zimmerman followed Martin after he spotted him walking in the rain in the gated community in Sanford, Florida, where Martin was spending the weekend in one of the townhomes with his father.

Zimmerman called police to report a suspicious person and pursued Martin. Soon after, Zimmerman shot Martin during a struggle before police arrived.