Hate-crimes trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers: What to know

Travis McMichael and his father, Greg McMichael, were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, and William “Roddie” Bryan was sentenced to life. (Video: Reuters)

Protesters and politicians have long denounced Ahmaud Arbery’s killing as an act of racial profiling. The 25-year-old Black man was out jogging, his family said, when three White men chased and shot him in Satilla Shores, Ga., on Feb. 23, 2020.

But jurors heard little about race before finding Travis McMichael, his father, Gregory McMichael, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan guilty of murder last November. A second trial put the issue front and center.

All three men were convicted Tuesday of violently interfering with Arbery’s right to use a public street because he was Black — a federal hate crime — following a week of testimony that delved into the defendants’ past racist comments. They were also convicted of attempted kidnapping, and the McMichaels were found guilty of using firearms in a violent crime.

“No one in this country should have to fear the threat of hate-filled violence,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday after the verdict. “Throughout our history, and to this day, hate crimes have a singular impact because of the terror and fear they inflict on entire communities.”

Three White men guilty of hate crimes charges in connection with Ahmaud Arbery murder

Loading...
Loading...