On Tuesday, a Georgia jury found the three white men who killed Ahmaud Arbery guilty on all counts in the federal hate crimes trial. Gregory and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan had already been sentenced to life in prison in a state trial for Arbery’s Feb. 2020 shooting death when they confronted him, suspecting him of burglary.
Arbery, 25, was killed on Feb. 23, 2020, by McMichaels and Bryan. He was jogging through a neighborhood in Brunswick when McMichaels and Bryan chased him and cornered him with their pickup trucks. A video taken by Bryan showed Arbery struggling with McMichael, before being shot.
The verdict comes one day before his two-year death anniversary. It confirmed what civil rights activists, family members, and others have already suggested: Arbery was chased and gunned down because he was Black. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters following the verdict that “nobody in this country should fear that when they go out for a run they will be targeted and killed because of the color of their skin.”
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Ahmaud will continue to rest in peace. But he will now begin to rest in power
Attorney Benjamin Crump released the following statement after the verdict: “For many of us, there was never any doubt that Greg McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William Bryan targeted Ahmaud because of his skin color. But because of indisputable video evidence, disgusting messages sent by the defendants, and witness testimony, their hate was revealed to the world and the jury. We hope and demand that the severity of their crimes are reflected in the sentencing, as well.
Crump went on, “Ahmaud Arbery was denied the opportunity to define his own legacy, but America, we have the power to ensure that it is one that propels our fight for equal justice and dispels hate from this world. That is how we continue to honor Ahmaud and make sure his death was not in vain.”
Although the verdict will not bring Arbery back, his family has justice and a slight peace of mind.
“Ahmaud will continue to rest in peace. But he will now begin to rest in power,” Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones said, as reported by the Associated Press. But it is a far cry from a victory.
“We as a family will never get victory because Ahmaud is gone forever,” Cooper-Jones added.
Since his passing the Ahmaud Arbery Foundation was created. Its purpose is to support the mental health of Black boys.
“Our work to honor Ahmaud’s legacy continues,” the website’s mission statement read. “We believe that Black boys, like Ahmaud, often lack resources and access to mental wellness. By aligning Ahmaud’s legacy with mental wellness in our communities, we can create brighter futures and opportunities.
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