All three Georgia men who were convicted of murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were again found guilty Tuesday of federal hate crimes. The jury delivered guilty verdicts against father and son Greg McMichael and Travis McMichael, as well as their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, saying they violated Arbery’s civil rights and targeted him because of his race. The verdict came one day before the second anniversary of Arbery’s death. On Feb. 23, 2020, the McMichaels and Bryan chased Arbery on a street in Brunswick, Ga., believing he was involved in some local break-ins.
In addition to the civil rights charges, all three men were also found guilty of attempted kidnapping. Additionally, the McMichaels were found guilty of using a firearm in commission of a federal crime. The men are already serving life prison sentences after they were convicted on state murder charges last year. The federal trial explored the motivations behind the killing.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said during a briefing with reporters that the jury’s decision represented a victory in the fight against hate crimes in the United States: “No one in this country should have to fear the threat of hate-filled violence. Throughout our history, and to this day, hate crimes have a singular impact because of the terror and fear they inflict on entire communities.”
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