？
Close
Watch live as Ahmaud Arbery killers sentenced for his murder
A sentencing hearing for the three white men who murdered Black 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery is underway on Friday in Glynn County, Georgia, where they each face the possibility of life in prison without parole.
Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their neighbour William “Roddie” Bryan Jr chased Mr Arbery, who was unarmed, through a neighbourhood in their tricks before shooting him in February 2020. The attack was captured in footage filmed by Bryan Jr.
All three men stood trial in November on nine charges: one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
The attorney for Travis McMichael, 35, who shot Mr Arbery twice at point blank range and was convicted of all nine charges, on Friday asked the judge that he be given the possibility of parole to give him a chance of “redemption”, saying the shooter could become a “force for good” after serving time.
Recommended Who is Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man whose killers were found guilty of murder in Georgia? Ahmaud Arbery: What is ‘malice murder’? Three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery face life in prison at sentencing
Show latest update 1641580587 Gregory McMichael’s attorney calls him a ‘good man'
In arguing against life without parole for Gregory McMichael, attorney Laura Hogue denied the prosecutor’s assertion that her client has not shown remorse, saying he has been unable to express sympathy to Arbery’s family because of the upcoming charges he still faces in federal court.
Ms Hogue claimed he is a “good person” who has done “thousands and thousands of big and little acts of kindness” throughout his life and “served his community” as a police officer in the years before he murdered the Black man.
“Greg McMichael is a good man. He is not a perfect person. None of us are. He has lived a good life, a life of service and that has to count for something,” she said.
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 18:36
1641578921 Court back in session
The sentencing hearing has resumed after a lunch break.
Gregory McMichael’s lawyer, Laura Hogue, is now making an argument to merge the charges against him.
Watch along live:
？
Watch live as Ahmaud Arbery killers sentenced for his murder
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 18:08
1641576600 RECAP: What happened to Arbery?
Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was described by friends and family as an avid athlete and hip-hop fan. On 23 February, 2020 the former linebacker for the Brunswick High School Pirates, who had once dreamed of playing pro football, set off for a jog through the neighbourhood of Satilla Shores, near Brunswick, Georgia.
As he continued on his run, he was spotted by Gregory McMichael, 67, Travis McMichael, his son, 35, and their neighbour William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, who mistakenly believed Mr Arbery was responsible for a number of break-ins in the area, including in a vacant home under construction. The trio, all white men, began pursuing Mr Arbery in their trucks, with the McMichaels armed with a pistol and a shotgun, and Bryan recording a video of the chase on a cellphone.
Eventually, they tried to corner the jogger using the vehicles. Travis McMichael and Ahmaud Arbery got into a physical confrontation, and McMichael shot him three times, killing him.
The Independent’s Josh Marcus has more:
Who is Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man whose killers were found guilty of murder? Mr Arbery’s death was one of a number of killings which inspired 2020’s national racial reckoning and civil rights protests
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 17:30
1641574510 Court on break for lunch
The court is now on a lunch break until 1pm EST.
After the break, the attorneys for Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr will make their sentencing requests.
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 16:55
1641574352 Travis McMichael’s attorney requests
Travis McMichael’s attorney Robert Rubin asked the judge not to impose the strictest possible sentence because he claimed the defendant shot Arbery in self-defense.
He said that while Travis McMichael’s actions were “thoughtless”, they do not show that his “soul was so blackened to deserve a sentence of life in prison without parole”.
Mr Rubin asked that Travis McMichael be given “the possibility of redemption” with a sentence of life with parole.
He said doing so would give the defendant a chance to be a “force for good”.
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 16:52
1641573362 State presents sentencing requests
After victim impact statements, Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski asked the court to sentence Travis and Gregory McMichael to life in prison without parole, and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
With regards to the McMichaels, Ms Dunikoski said they showed a “pattern of vigilanteism” leading up to Arbery’s murder.
Citing the father’s experience in law enforcement and the son’s service in the US Coast Guard, Ms Dunikoski said: “They should have known better” and waited for authorities to arrive instead of pursuing Arbery themselves.
“When you take a person’s life, it can’t be undone. It can’t be taken back. You don’t get a do-over,” she said.
With regards to Bryan Jr, she said he “contributed” to Arbery’s murder and thus should be sentenced to life with parole followed by 15 years of probation.
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 16:36
1641572839 Arbery’s mother addresses the court
Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, was already in tears when she stepped up to the podium to deliver her victim impact statement.
She began by addressing her son directly: “I love you as much today as I did the day you were born. Raising you was the honour of my life and I’m very proud of you.”
To the judge she said: “Your honour, these men have chose to lie, they chose to target my son, and when they couldn’t intimidate him, they killed him.
“These men deserve the maximum sentence for their crimes. Ahmaud never said a word to them, he never threatened them, he just wanted them to leave him alone.
“Please give all three defendants the maximum punishment in court, which I do believe is life behind bars without the possibility of parole.”
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 16:27
1641572374 Victim impact statement from Arbery’s father
Arbery’s father, Marcus Arbery Sr, was first to deliver a victim impact statement.
Referencing Travis McMichael, he said: “The man who killed my son has sat in this courtroom every single day next to his father. I will never get the chance to sit next to my son again.”
He said he’s replayed Arbery’s “execution” in his mind “over and over”.
“My heart is broken and always will be broken. If I could, I’d trade places with Ahmaud in a heartbeat,” he said.
“I’m standing here to do what he can’t: to fight for him, to fight for his legacy.
“More than anything else, you should know who my boy was.”
He concluded: “These killers will spend the rest of their lives remembering what they did. And they should, from behind bars.”
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 16:19
1641570960 Bryan Jr’s lawyer loses bids to avoid life sentence without parole
At the start of Friday’s hearing, William “Roddie” Bryan Jr’s lawyer Kevin Gough filed two motions arguing that it would be unconstitutional for him to be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
He made the assertion on the grounds that Bryan Jr did not “kill or intend to kill” Arbery.
Bryan Jr was convicted on six counts: three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
On the day Arbery was shot, Bryan Jr joined the McMichaels in pursuing the Black man and filmed the deadly encounter.
The judge denied both motions - after Gregory McMichaels’ lawyer sought to join the second as well.
Mr Gough then filed a third motion to vacate counts three, four and five because he said they constitute double jeopardy.
Again, the judge denied the motion.
This isn’t the first time Mr Gough has caused a stir in the courtroom. The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:
Kevin Gough: Who is attorney defending one of Ahmaud Arbery’s accused killers? The defence attorney complaining about Black pastors attending trial is a former public defender who was supported by the local NAACP and was fired from the role for criticising the DA now charged with failing to bring Ahmaud Arbery’s killers to justice, Rachel Sharp writes
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 15:56
1641569825 WATCH: Sentencing hearing now underway
The sentencing hearing for Arbery’s killers is now underway at the Glynn County Courthouse in Georgia.
Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, is expected to read a victim impact statement before the judge hands down a sentence for Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr.
All three men face a minimum sentence of life in prison. The judge will determine whether they are eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 30 years.
Watch live:
？
Watch live as Ahmaud Arbery killers sentenced for his murder
Megan Sheets 7 January 2022 15:37
Newer 1 / 2 Older