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Rev. Al Sharpton Discusses Trayvon Martin Case In Mount Vernon

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. -- Rev. Al Sharpton led a service Thursday night at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, where he decried the verdict of the George Zimmerman trial.

Rev. Al Sharpton, seen here at a rally in Norwalk, Conn. in 2011, spoke at a service in Mount Vernon on Thursday.

Rev. Al Sharpton, seen here at a rally in Norwalk, Conn. in 2011, spoke at a service in Mount Vernon on Thursday.

Photo Credit: The Daily Voice File Photo

Zimmerman was found not guilty in the death of Trayvon Martin.

According to an article in USA Today, the service was initially organized to rally support for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington in August. However, the event took on new meaning with the verdict of the Zimmerman trial.

Martin, a 17-year-old African-American, was killed Feb. 26, 2012, as he made his way home through a gated community in Florida. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, was suspicious of Martin, followed him and shot him once in the chest after a scuffle.

Zimmerman was later charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, but his lawyers argued he shot Martin in self-defense. A six-woman jury acquitted him Saturday of all charges.

Sharpton and his supporters believe that Zimmerman's actions were racially motivated.

Read the full USA Today article here.

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