A judge on Friday sentenced the three white men convicted in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery to life in prison, with Travis and Gregory McMichael receiving life without parole and William “Roddie” Bryan receiving life with the possibility of parole.
Driving the news: Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was chased and shot dead while running in February 2020. Prosecutors only pursued the case after a video of the killing went viral in May 2020, sparking national anger.
- His name, along with those of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, was at the center of the 2020 racial justice protests.
Background: Arbery was shot and killed by Travis McMichael outside of Brunswick, Ga. McMichael and his father, Gregory, as well as their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, chased a running Arbery in their vehicles, leading to a struggle and the younger McMichael killing Arbery.
- Arbery's family maintained he was out for a regular jog.
Travis McMichael, 35, was convicted of nine charges, including one count of malice murder and four counts of felony murder.
- Gregory McMichael, 66, was convicted of four counts of felony murder.
- Bryan, 52, was found guilty of three counts of felony murder.
- All three men were also convicted of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
- Their attorneys have said they will appeal the verdicts.
Under Georgia law, the minimum sentence for felony murder is life in prison, but the question of parole was left up to the judge. ...
- Prosecutors did not