Florida jury acquits Pulse nightclub gunman’s widow

A Florida jury on Friday acquitted Noor Salman of lying to the FBI and helping her husband, Omar Mateen, in the 2016 attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando that killed 49 people. Prosecutors alleged Salman, 31, knew about her husband’s plans but didn’t try to stop him. After the attack, during which Mateen also died, Salman admitted to the FBI that her husband had talked to her about jihad. Her signed statement included several assertions about Mateen’s social media use and the weapons he owned that investigators later found to be false. Defense attorneys argued Salman had a low IQ and was easily manipulated by a man who abused her. They noted he cheated on her with other women and concealed much of his life from her. Salman’s defense team also claimed she couldn’t have known about the Pulse nightclub attack because Mateen didn’t know himself he would target the club until the night of the massacre. They said he intended to attack Disney World’s shopping and entertainment complex but was spooked by the number of police officers at the site. Surveillance camera footage showed him at the complex the night of the attack, looking around before finally leaving.