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The jury in the federal hate-crimes trial of the three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery adjourned Monday evening without reaching a verdict.
The jury, which consists of eight White people, three Black people, and one Hispanic person, deliberated about for about three hours – following closing legal arguments in U.S. District Court.
Beginning a week ago, the trial involved defendants William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, Travis McMichael, 36, and, Gregory McMichael, 66, who were all convicted of murder last fall in a Georgia state court. They were sentenced to life in prison for their murder convictions, regardless of the outcome of the hate crimes case. Unlike the other men, Bryan is eligible for parole only after he’s served at least 30 years.
AHMAUD ARBERY KILLING: PROSECUTORS BUILD CASE FOR HATE CRIMES
The trial, which began a week ago, involved Gregory McMichael, 66, Travis McMichael, 36, and William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, who were all convicted of murder last fall in the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Courtroom screen grabs. Courtesy of Family
(Ahmaud Arbery. Courtesy of Family)
The men were charged separately in federal court with hate crimes by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly violating Arbery’s civil rights and targeting him because he’s Black.
On Monday, federal prosecutors told the jury that the men who chased Arbery in the confrontation that led to his death acted out of “pent-up racial anger” and should be convicted of hate crimes.
Defense attorneys said the men acted in self-defense and that Arbery had acted suspiciously during prior trips to the Georgia neighborhood. They argued the men did not target Arbery because of race, but because they suspected him of trespassing several times at a neighbor’s property.
On, Feb. 23, 2020, Arbery was killed by two shotgun blasts following a chase through a subdivision outside of Brunswick. The armed McMichaels had chased Arbery in a pickup truck after he was spotted running past their home. Bryan, a neighbor, later joined the pursuit and recorded a video of Travis McMichael firing the fatal shots.
The slaying was captured on video and – along with the death of George Floyd — helped to ignite the racial justice protests in the U.S. in 2020.
This May 17, 2020, file photo, shows a mural depicting Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia. (AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan, File)
During the trial, prosecutor Christopher Perras argued that Travis McMichael “was just looking for a reason” to hurt a Black person and that the three men started chasing Arbery with no evidence he had done anything wrong, only assuming so because he was Black.
Perras added that when Greg McMichael saw Arbery running down the street, “he didn’t grab his phone and call police … he called his son [Travis] and grabbed his gun.”
“There’s a big difference between being vigilant and being a vigilante,” said Perras. “It’s important for you to understand the full depth of the defendants’ racial hatred.”
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Defense attorneys argued that despite past racist statements by their clients, they offered no proof that the men targeted Arbery because of his race.
“It’s natural for you to want retribution or revenge,” said Pete Theodocion, Bryan’s attorney. “But we have to elevate ourselves … even if it’s the tough thing.”
Amy Lee Copeland, Travis McMichael’s attorney, argued that prosecutors failed to present evidence that McMichael ever spoke to anyone about Arbery’s death “in racial terms” or committed previous acts of racial violence.
Ahmaud Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones, center, is surrounded by supporters after Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley sentenced Greg McMichael, his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan to life in prison in the Glynn County Courthouse, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Brunswick, Georgia. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File)
Copeland also told the jury that the shooting was “based on self-defense” because McMichael opened fire after Arbery attempted to grab his shotgun.
“Mr. Arbery tried to wrestle the gun out of Travis McMichael’s hand,” Copeland said. “You can see the struggle on the recording.”
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The jury is set to resume deliberations on Tuesday morning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
