The widow of the Orlando nightclub shooter was found not guilty Friday of helping her husband plan the attack that left 49 people dead.
A jury in Orlando federal court cleared Noor Salman, 31, of charges of obstruction of justice and aiding husband Omar Mateen in providing support to the Islamic State militant group.
She faced up to life in prison.
Salman wept tears of joy after the verdict was read, as her family members hugged each other in the courtroom, according to News 6 in Orlando.
“Justice was done,” said her attorney Charles Swift.
Mateen, 29, killed 49 people and injured at least 68 others when he opened fire inside Pulse, a gay club in Orlando, in June 2016. He had claimed allegiance to an Islamic State leader.
He died in a shootout with police.
Relatives of the Pulse victims left the courthouse in silence, holding hands.
The 12 jurors in Salman’s trial began deliberating Wednesday afternoon and took about 12 hours to reach their verdict.
On Thursday, they asked to review critical evidence in the case, a 12-page statement she made to FBI agents in the days after the massacre.
Salman admitted knowing that her husband was plotting the deadly attack and spoke to her about waging jihad for two years prior.
She also told investigators that she regretted not doing more to prevent her husband’s rampage.
“I wish I had done the right thing but my fear held me back,” she said in the statement.
She added, “I am sorry for what happened. I was in denial because I could not believe that the father of my child would do this.”
Prosecutors argued that Salman knew what her husband was up to — but did nothing to stop him.
“This case is about what she knew and what she did,” Assistant US Attorney Sara Sweeney said in closing statements, CNN reported. “The defendant didn’t pull the trigger that night, but she did serve as a green light for her husband.”
But the defense said Salman had an IQ that made her “below average in intelligence” and was a victim of her husband’s abusive behavior.
“Omar Mateen is a monster. Noor Salman is a mother, not a monster. Her only sin is she married a monster,” said defense attorney Linda Moreno, adding that Salman was not “calculating” or “able to connect the dots.”
During the trial, it was revealed that Mateen’s father served as an FBI informant for 11 years.
The defense argued for a mistrial, saying it was unaware of Seddique Mateen’s longtime relationship with the feds. A judge ruled against it.
Outside the courthouse, Salman’s uncle Al Salman said the family plans to hire a therapist and reunite the mom, who’s been jailed for two years, with her 5-year-old son.
“I don’t know how she is going to make up for the last two years,” the uncle said.
Salman family spokeswoman Susan Clary expressed sympathy to the Pulse victims’ families for having to spend Easter without their loved ones.
She then thanked Salman’s lawyers, who worked pro-bono.