Ten years ago: A jury in Sanford cleared neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman of all charges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager whose killing unleashed furious debate over racial profiling, self-defense and equal justice. Actor Cory Monteith, who had shot to fame in the hit TV series “Glee” but was beset by addiction struggles, was found dead in a hotel room in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; he was 31. Attorney Leonard Garment, 89, a friend and adviser to President Richard Nixon, died in New York.
Five years ago: A grand jury indictment, sought by special counsel Robert Mueller, alleged that the Russian government was behind a sweeping conspiracy to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The grand jury indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers on charges that they had hacked Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic Party, releasing tens of thousands of stolen and politically damaging communications. President Donald Trump wrapped up a turbulent 30-hour visit to England, dropping by Windsor Castle for tea with the queen and lavishing praise on Prime Minister Theresa May after earlier questioning May’s leadership in an interview. Thousands crammed the streets of London to vent their anger over Trump’s first official visit to Britain.
One year ago: President Joe Biden, opening his first trip to the Middle East, offered anxious Israeli leaders strong reassurances of his determination to stop Iran’s growing nuclear program, saying he’d be willing to use force “as a last resort.” A former CIA software engineer accused of causing the biggest theft of classified information in the agency’s history was convicted at a New York City retrial. A judge rejected a request from actress Amber Heard to set aside the $10 million judgment awarded against her in favor of her ex-husband, Johnny Depp.
