An inquiry by the Orlando Sentinel has led to the release of the names of the jurors who acquitted George Zimmerman. 

The Sentinel reported Friday that Circuit Judge Debra Nelson, who had ordered the names of the jurors withheld from the public for a six month "cooling off period," has released the names of the jurors who acquitted Zimmerman of the murder of Trayvon Martin at the urging of the central Florida newspaper:

Nelson's order follows an inquiry last month by the Sentinel.

In a letter, Sentinel attorneys asked Nelson for a specific ruling on how long she planned to maintain the jurors' anonymity, noting it was already "well past the six month 'cooling off' period requested by the defense."

The defense, in its motion, argued a delay was needed beyond the trial to allow "for any community passions to cool."

The Sentinel and other media outlets opposed that delay.

The Zimmerman trial dominated national news for over a year, and reactions to the verdict were sharply divided, often among racial lines. The release of the jurors' names is seen by some as potentially dangerous to their well being.