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| Noor Salman: Pulse nightclub shooter's widow not guilty | Noor Salman: Pulse nightclub shooter's widow not guilty |
| (4 days later) | |
| The widow of a gunman who killed dozens at a Florida nightclub two years ago has been found not guilty of helping him. | The widow of a gunman who killed dozens at a Florida nightclub two years ago has been found not guilty of helping him. |
| Noor Salman, 31, was charged with obstruction of justice and aiding Omar Mateen in providing support to the Islamic State militant group. | Noor Salman, 31, was charged with obstruction of justice and aiding Omar Mateen in providing support to the Islamic State militant group. |
| Her lawyers had argued that she was an innocent victim of her husband's lies. | Her lawyers had argued that she was an innocent victim of her husband's lies. |
| Mateen killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in June 2016 before he was shot dead by police. | Mateen killed 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in June 2016 before he was shot dead by police. |
| Who was the Orlando club gunman? | Who was the Orlando club gunman? |
| She could have faced life in prison if found guilty. | She could have faced life in prison if found guilty. |
| The 12-member jury returned their verdict on Friday morning on their third day of deliberations. | The 12-member jury returned their verdict on Friday morning on their third day of deliberations. |
| Ms Salman sobbed as the verdict was read while her relatives hugged, according to the Orlando Sentinel. | Ms Salman sobbed as the verdict was read while her relatives hugged, according to the Orlando Sentinel. |
| Defence lawyer Charles Swift had said in his closing argument: "She doesn't go to the mosque, she searches for Hello Kitty on her website. | Defence lawyer Charles Swift had said in his closing argument: "She doesn't go to the mosque, she searches for Hello Kitty on her website. |
| "We're supposed to believe she had long conversations with Omar Mateen about jihads?" | "We're supposed to believe she had long conversations with Omar Mateen about jihads?" |
| Her attorneys also argued she was a victim of a "tragic marriage" to Mateen, with no prior knowledge of the attack. | Her attorneys also argued she was a victim of a "tragic marriage" to Mateen, with no prior knowledge of the attack. |
| Mateen, a US citizen who had been known to the FBI since 2013, entered the venue after midnight and opened fire with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, holding people hostage in the bathroom before dying in a gun battle with police. | |
| His father, Seddique Mateen, said a possible motive for the attack might have been his son's outrage at seeing two men kissing in Miami. | His father, Seddique Mateen, said a possible motive for the attack might have been his son's outrage at seeing two men kissing in Miami. |
| During the trial it came to light that Seddique Mateen was a confidential FBI informant and is now under investigation for money transfers to Turkey and Afghanistan days after the attack. | During the trial it came to light that Seddique Mateen was a confidential FBI informant and is now under investigation for money transfers to Turkey and Afghanistan days after the attack. |
| "Omar Mateen is a monster," another defence attorney, Linda Moreno, told the jury. | "Omar Mateen is a monster," another defence attorney, Linda Moreno, told the jury. |
| "Noor Salman is a mother, not a monster. Her only sin is she married a monster." | "Noor Salman is a mother, not a monster. Her only sin is she married a monster." |
| During the attack, Ms Salman was at home with the couple's three-year-old son. | During the attack, Ms Salman was at home with the couple's three-year-old son. |
| After the verdict was announced, Al Salman, her uncle, addressed reporters outside the courthouse. | After the verdict was announced, Al Salman, her uncle, addressed reporters outside the courthouse. |
| "Now, we're looking forward to taking my niece and hiring a therapist for her," Mr Salman said. | "Now, we're looking forward to taking my niece and hiring a therapist for her," Mr Salman said. |
| "I don't know how she's going to make up for the last two years," she spent in prison, he said. | "I don't know how she's going to make up for the last two years," she spent in prison, he said. |
| More than 100 advocacy organisations signed a letter supporting the release of Ms Salman from prison. | More than 100 advocacy organisations signed a letter supporting the release of Ms Salman from prison. |
| "The prosecution of Ms Salman is rooted in gendered Islamophobia and patriarchy," the letter read. | "The prosecution of Ms Salman is rooted in gendered Islamophobia and patriarchy," the letter read. |
| Orlando nightclub shooting: How the attack unfolded | Orlando nightclub shooting: How the attack unfolded |
| But prosecutors pointed to a statement Ms Salman made to the FBI after her arrest in January 2017, that she knew her husband was going to do something violent. | But prosecutors pointed to a statement Ms Salman made to the FBI after her arrest in January 2017, that she knew her husband was going to do something violent. |
| On Monday, that statement to the FBI was shown to the court. | On Monday, that statement to the FBI was shown to the court. |
| "I wish I had done the right thing but my fear held me back. | "I wish I had done the right thing but my fear held me back. |
| "I wish I had been more truthful," she wrote. | "I wish I had been more truthful," she wrote. |
| Detectives also said Ms Salman "knowingly misled" FBI interrogators in the hours after the attack. | Detectives also said Ms Salman "knowingly misled" FBI interrogators in the hours after the attack. |
| Special Agent Ricardo Enriquez said Ms Salman had confessed that her husband had bought a weapon and was watching Islamic State group videos. | Special Agent Ricardo Enriquez said Ms Salman had confessed that her husband had bought a weapon and was watching Islamic State group videos. |
| Near the end of the trial, a forensic clinical psychologist, testified that low intelligence, stress, and lack of sleep can contribute to false confessions. | Near the end of the trial, a forensic clinical psychologist, testified that low intelligence, stress, and lack of sleep can contribute to false confessions. |
| She had been interviewed by officials for 11 hours, and her IQ score is 84, making her "below average in intelligence," said Bruce Frumkin. | She had been interviewed by officials for 11 hours, and her IQ score is 84, making her "below average in intelligence," said Bruce Frumkin. |
| Orlando police released a statement after the verdict was announced. | Orlando police released a statement after the verdict was announced. |
| "I believe in our criminal justice system and am grateful for the jury's hard work," Chief John Mina said. | "I believe in our criminal justice system and am grateful for the jury's hard work," Chief John Mina said. |
| But he added: "Nothing can erase the pain we all feel about the senseless and brutal murder of 49 of our neighbours, friends, family members and loved ones." | But he added: "Nothing can erase the pain we all feel about the senseless and brutal murder of 49 of our neighbours, friends, family members and loved ones." |