Trayvon juror speaks out

Hundreds of people have been demonstrating on the streets of central Los Angeles sparked by George Zimmerman's acquittal in his trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin.

Read: 'No doubt' Zimmerman feared for his life in shooting incident

Read: Zimmerman juror abandons plans to write book on trial

A juror in the George Zimmerman murder trial has dropped plans to write a book explaining how the jury came to conclude the US neighbourhood watch volunteer was not guilty of the murder or manslaughter of Trayvon Martin.

Juror B37 had penned a deal to tell her story with Washington-based Martin Literary Management agency, but the firm's president, Sharlene Martin, confirmed the book enterprise had been abandoned.

The juror had planned to write the book with her husband, who is an attorney, but she did not explain the reasons for withdrawing the idea, according to Reuters.

One of the jurors who found George Zimmerman not guilty of the murder of Trayvon Martin has said she had "no doubt" he feared for his life in his struggle with the unarmed black teenager.

In an interview with CNN, the woman, who was identified as Juror B37, is the first person from the jury to speak to the media about the case.

"I think George Zimmerman is a man whose heart was in the right place, but just got displaced by the vandalism in the neighborhoods and wanting to catch these people so badly that he went above and beyond what he really should have done," she said.

"But I think his heart was in the right place. It just went terribly wrong."

Read: Groups of demonstrators on streets of Los Angeles after Zimmerman verdict

Read: US continuing to investigate shooting of Trayvon Martin

The Los Angeles mayor's office repeated the city's police chief's call for peace as hundreds of protesters continued to roam the streets:

Los Angeles Police Department chief Charlie Beck urged demonstrators to "let peace prevail," tweeting:

Police in Los Angeles have declared a city-wide tactical alert as Trayvon Martin protests in the area turned violent, LA Times reporter Robert Lopez said.

Aerial footage seen by ITV News showed some groups of demonstrators attacking cars and minor scuffles breaking out.

Around 100 people were demonstrating on the streets of central Los Angeles on Monday night sparked by George Zimmerman's acquittal in his trial for the murder of Trayvon Martin.

Pictures filmed from a helicopter showed some low-level disorder but no serious violence or clashes with police.

Prosecutors in the United States are continuing to investigate the shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.

The acquittal of neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman over his murder sparked protests across America. And pressure is mounting for new criminal charges.

ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore reports:

Read: Protests after Trayvon verdict

Thousands of demonstrators have been marching in major cities across America, calling for justice over the killing of the unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.

It follows a Florida jury's decision to free the neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot him dead, by acquitting him of murder.

ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore reports:

Read: Protests after Trayvon verdict

US President Barack Obama will not involve himself in the Justice Department's decision on whether to pursue charges against George Zimmerman.

The department said in a statement on Sunday that it was considering whether Zimmerman may have violated any civil rights laws, and whether to pursue a conviction after he was acquitted in a state trial.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said it would be inappropriate for Obama to express an opinion on how the department deals with the case.

Read: George Zimmerman could face further charges