The Ahmaud Arbery case


 On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was out jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick, Georgia, when he was chased and fatally shot by Travis McMichael, a white man, and his father, Gregory McMichael. The McMichaels were armed with a shotgun and a .357 Magnum.


They had chased Arbery because they suspected him of being a burglar. Three months later, the case gained national attention after footage of the incident was leaked to the public. The video showed the McMichaels chasing Arbery down a street in their pickup truck, before Travis McMichael got out of the truck and confronted Arbery. A struggle ensued, and Travis McMichael shot Arbery at close range.


The case sparked outrage across the country, with many calling it a modern-day lynching. The McMichaels were arrested and charged with murder, and the case was seen as a test of the justice system’s ability to hold white people accountable for violence against black people. 


After the McMichaels were arrested, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) took over the case. On May 21, 2020, a third man, William "Roddie" Bryan, was also arrested and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. Bryan had recorded the video of the incident, and it was his footage that was leaked to the public. The GBI also announced that it was investigating local law enforcement’s handling of the case, as well as the district attorney’s office for its failure to prosecute the McMichaels sooner. 


In June 2020, a grand jury indicted the McMichaels and Bryan on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. The McMichaels and Bryan all pleaded not guilty. The trial began in October 2021. During the trial, prosecutors argued that the McMichaels and Bryan had no justification for chasing and killing Arbery, and that their actions were motivated by racial bias. The defense argued that the McMichaels and Bryan were acting in self-defense. 


On November 24, 2021, the jury found Travis McMichael and Gregory McMichael guilty of all counts. The jury also found Bryan guilty of three counts, including felony murder. The verdict was seen as a major victory for the Arbery family and a triumph for the fight against racial injustice. Many people saw the verdict as a long overdue step towards justice for Ahmaud Arbery and his loved ones. The McMichaels and Bryan all face life in prison. 


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