Trayvon Martin's Killer 'Weeps With Remorse'

A neighbourhood watch volunteer who sparked uproar in the US by shooting dead an unarmed teenager has wept with remorse and now fears for his own life, people close to the gunman have said.

They spoke in defence of George Zimmerman as people staged protest rallies and prayer vigils for 17-year-old victim Trayvon Martin in many parts of the country over the weekend.

Many wore hooded tops, like the one the black teenager was wearing when he was shot by 28-year-old Mr Zimmerman , a white Hispanic man.

Mr Zimmerman - who has not been arrested - has gone into seclusion after receiving death threats and learning of a \$10,000 (£6,300) bounty offered by a group called the New Black Panther Party, said lawyer Craig Sonner.

He has said he acted in self-defence when he shot Trayvon in a gated community in Sanford, near Orlando, Florida, last month.

Mr Zimmerman's friend Joe Oliver, a black former TV news reporter, has denied he is a racist and said he cried for days over the shooting.

"He's a caring human being," said the 53-year-old. "He's extremely remorseful about it."

Trayvon's death has grown into a rallying cry for African-Americans, who have pointed to his shooting and the decision not to prosecute Mr Zimmerman as a case of racial injustice.

There has also been debate over the "Stand Your Ground" law, which in some states, including Florida, allows people to use deadly force in self-defence.

Miami Heat basketball players, including LeBron James , are among high-profile sports stars who have paid their respects to Trayvon.

James tweeted a picture of some of his NBA teammates wearing black hoodies with their heads bowed, which prompted the boy's father to thank them for "taking notice" of the killing.

The player has also been promoting an online petition calling for the prosecution of Mr Zimmerman, which had attracted nearly two million signatures by Monday morning.

Late on Sunday in Sanford, about 100 people held a prayer vigil near where the shooting occurred, quietly singing the civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome.

Rev Jesse Jackson called for Trayvon's "martyr" death to be used as an opportunity to draw attention to civil rights issues during a sermon at a Baptist church in Eatonville, Florida.

"The blood of the innocent has power," Rev Jackson said to shouts of "Amen" and loud clapping.

President Barack Obama reacted to the controversy last week, calling the shooting a "tragedy" .