Three white US men convicted of hate crimes in Ahmaud Arbery's case
After a vehement struggle from Ahmaud Arbery's family, a federal jury found three white males guilty of federal hate crimes in Arbery's murder.
-
A portrait of Ahmaud Arbery (Reuters)
A federal jury found on Tuesday three white males guilty of federal hate crimes in the murder of a black male while jogging in their Georgia neighborhood two years ago after shooting him from close range from a shotgun.
Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, and their next-door neighbor William Bryan were found guilty of infringing on the civil rights of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old African-American man.
The McMichaels and Bryan are already serving life terms after being convicted of Arbery's murder in February 2020 in a state trial in November.
During the federal hate crimes trial, prosecutors detailed the three men's alleged use of obscene, vulgar racial slurs and a history of racism.
Arbery's parents, Marcus Arbery and Wanda Cooper-Jones, and civil rights attorney Ben Crump welcomed the verdict.
"We got justice for Ahmaud," Marcus Arbery told reporters.
"We got a victory today," said Cooper-Jones, "but there's so many families out there who don't get victories."
"I as a Mom will never heal," she added. "It's been a very long stressful fight."
"Lynched for jogging while black"
Crump, who represented the Arbery family, said Arbery was "lynched for jogging while Black."
"I believe this is the first time in the state of Georgia's history where there has been a conviction for a federal hate crime," he said.
On February 23, 2020, the McMichaels and Bryan chased Arbery through their area near Brunswick, Georgia, in their pickup trucks.
Travis McMichael assaulted Arbery as he passed by their truck and shot and killed him.
Last month, the McMichaels negotiated plea offers on the hate crimes charges, but a judge rejected them after Arbery's relatives objected passionately.
It is worth mentioning that this comes in Black History Month, as cities are still dealing with the injuries and tactics employed by racial practices, which have been subject to many opposition campaigns all over the country.
