Ahmaud Arbery news: Mother ‘very thankful’ as Travis and Gregory McMichael get life without parole

Gregory and Travis McMichael, white father and son convicted of murdering Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery, have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 20 years.

A judge handed down the sentences in Glynn County, Georgia, on Friday afternoon. The McMichaels’ neighbour and co-defendant William “Roddie” Bryan Jr was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years served.

The sentence came nearly two years after the three men chased Arbery, who was unarmed, through a neighbourhood in their trucks before shooting him in February 2020. The attack was captured in footage filmed by Bryan Jr.

All three men stood trial in November on nine charges: one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

Travis McMichael was convicted of and received the top sentence for malice murder, while Gregory McMichael and Bryan Jr received their top sentences for felony murder.

Key Points

• Travis and Gregory McMichael sentenced to life without parole

• What happened to Ahmaud Arbery?

• Arbery’s mother delivers victim impact statement

• Arbery’s family reject plea deal on federal hate crime charges

Sentencing scheduled for 10am EST

Friday 7 January 2022 13:22 , Megan Sheets

Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr will appear at a sentencing hearing at the Glynn County Courthouse at 10am EST on Friday.

The three men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020 are facing the possibility of life in prison.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery face sentencing on Friday

What charges were Arbery’s killers convicted of?

Friday 7 January 2022 13:40 , Megan Sheets

Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr were convicted of a string of charges at their trial in November.

All three men were charged with nine counts, including one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

Travis McMichael, 35, who pulled the trigger and shot Mr Arbery twice at point blank range, was convicted of all nine charges.

Gregory McMichael, 65, was convicted of eight charges, excluding the count of malice murder.

Bryan, 52, was convicted of six charges – three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

What is malice murder?

Friday 7 January 2022 14:00 , Megan Sheets

Of all three men found guilty in Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, Travis McMichael was the only one convicted of the top charge of “malice murder”.

In Georgia, malice murder is the most serious charge the state can levy against an individual.

Under state law, malice murder is defined as the “deliberate intention unlawfully to take the life of another human being” in which “no considerable provocation appears” where the killer shows “an abandoned and malignant heart”.

It is essentially equivalent to a first-degree murder charge in other states; it implies intention and will to take another person’s life.

The Independent’s Graig Graziosi explains:

Ahmaud Arbery: What is ‘malice murder’?

How race played a key role in Arbery’s killing

Friday 7 January 2022 14:20 , Megan Sheets

Ahmaud Arbery’s family called his death a “modern-day lynching”.

Attorneys for his killers claimed they were performing a “citizen’s arrest”.

At their trial in November, a jury of 11 White people and one Black person sided with the family.

“There is no question that race is a central part of this case and has been from the very beginning,” Brandon Buskey, director of the ACLU’s Criminal Law Reform Project, told The Independent.

“If Ahmaud Arbery had been a white person in the same circumstances he would still be alive today and that’s a sad fact of our nation’s history.”

Our reporter, Rachel Sharp, explains the key role race played in the trial:

How race is central to the trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s alleged killers

Arbery’s aunt speaks out ahead of sentence

Friday 7 January 2022 14:35 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s aunt, Thea Brooks, spoke out ahead of Friday’s sentencing to say his family is hopeful parole will not be granted.

“We have been nothing but prayerful,” Ms Brooks told News4JAX. “We’ve done everything in peace, and we’ve done everything accordingly and God answers us. I won’t waiver my faith now because he’s been so faithful. So I’m sure he’ll come through (today) like he has this entire time.”

She also expressed gratitude for the jurors who handed down guilty verdicts.

“I just want to tell them ‘Thank you,’” she said. “They were phenomenal. They took their time. They looked at the evidence. They asked questions. They overlooked things but then went back to see. They put the pieces of the puzzle together. And they actually did a phenomenal job.

“So, if I could in any way repay them, I would. I just appreciate their hard work and dedication, showing up every day and being faithful and coming out with the right verdict for our family.”

Arbery’s mother to give victim impact statement

Friday 7 January 2022 14:45 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones is expected to give a victim impact statement on Friday morning at the sentencing of her son’s three murderers, her attorney Lee Merritt said.

Ms Cooper-Jones has waited almost two years for her son’s killers to be brought to justice after they evaded prosecution for months in the aftermath of the February 2020 murder - only being arrested when footage of the attack was leaked on social media.

Following the guilty verdicts in November, Ms Cooper-Jones told a crowd of supporters outside the courthouse that she had believed she would never get justice for her son.

“I never thought this day would come, but God is good,” she said.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Ahmaud Arbery’s mother to give victim impact statement at murderers’ sentencing

Family rejects plea deal for three killers’ federal hate crime charges

Friday 7 January 2022 15:02 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s family rejected a plea deal that would have seen his killers spend 30 years in prison for federal hate crime charges, it has been revealed.

The Department of Justice approached Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, earlier this week about the deal, under which Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr would be sentenced to three decades in prison if they admitted they were motivated by hate when they shot dead the Black jogger.

Ms Cooper-Jones told CBS News she rejected the deal because she wants the men to face those charges in court.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Ahmaud Arbery’s family rejects plea deal for three murderers ahead of sentencing

Arbery’s parents speak outside court

Friday 7 January 2022 15:26 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbery Sr, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse before the sentencing hearing kicked off.

They thanked their attorneys and supporters, with Ms Cooper-Jones saying: “The day that my family and I have prayed for has finally come, so thank you,”

The parents were joined by famed civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.

WATCH: Sentencing hearing now underway

Friday 7 January 2022 15:37 , Megan Sheets

The sentencing hearing for Arbery’s killers is now underway at the Glynn County Courthouse in Georgia.

Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, is expected to read a victim impact statement before the judge hands down a sentence for Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr.

All three men face a minimum sentence of life in prison. The judge will determine whether they are eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 30 years.

Watch live:

Bryan Jr’s lawyer loses bids to avoid life sentence without parole

Friday 7 January 2022 15:56 , Megan Sheets

At the start of Friday’s hearing, William “Roddie” Bryan Jr’s lawyer Kevin Gough filed two motions arguing that it would be unconstitutional for him to be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

He made the assertion on the grounds that Bryan Jr did not “kill or intend to kill” Arbery.

Bryan Jr was convicted on six counts: three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

On the day Arbery was shot, Bryan Jr joined the McMichaels in pursuing the Black man and filmed the deadly encounter.

The judge denied both motions - after Gregory McMichaels’ lawyer sought to join the second as well.

Mr Gough then filed a third motion to vacate counts three, four and five because he said they constitute double jeopardy.

Again, the judge denied the motion.

This isn’t the first time Mr Gough has caused a stir in the courtroom. The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Kevin Gough: Who is attorney defending one of Ahmaud Arbery’s accused killers?

Victim impact statement from Arbery’s father

Friday 7 January 2022 16:19 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s father, Marcus Arbery Sr, was first to deliver a victim impact statement.

Referencing Travis McMichael, he said: “The man who killed my son has sat in this courtroom every single day next to his father. I will never get the chance to sit next to my son again.”

He said he’s replayed Arbery’s “execution” in his mind “over and over”.

“My heart is broken and always will be broken. If I could, I’d trade places with Ahmaud in a heartbeat,” he said.

“I’m standing here to do what he can’t: to fight for him, to fight for his legacy.

“More than anything else, you should know who my boy was.”

He concluded: “These killers will spend the rest of their lives remembering what they did. And they should, from behind bars.”

Arbery’s mother addresses the court

Friday 7 January 2022 16:27 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, was already in tears when she stepped up to the podium to deliver her victim impact statement.

She began by addressing her son directly: “I love you as much today as I did the day you were born. Raising you was the honour of my life and I’m very proud of you.”

To the judge she said: “Your honour, these men have chose to lie, they chose to target my son, and when they couldn’t intimidate him, they killed him.

“These men deserve the maximum sentence for their crimes. Ahmaud never said a word to them, he never threatened them, he just wanted them to leave him alone.

“Please give all three defendants the maximum punishment in court, which I do believe is life behind bars without the possibility of parole.”

State presents sentencing requests

Friday 7 January 2022 16:36 , Megan Sheets

After victim impact statements, Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski asked the court to sentence Travis and Gregory McMichael to life in prison without parole, and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

With regards to the McMichaels, Ms Dunikoski said they showed a “pattern of vigilanteism” leading up to Arbery’s murder.

Citing the father’s experience in law enforcement and the son’s service in the US Coast Guard, Ms Dunikoski said: “They should have known better” and waited for authorities to arrive instead of pursuing Arbery themselves.

“When you take a person’s life, it can’t be undone. It can’t be taken back. You don’t get a do-over,” she said.

With regards to Bryan Jr, she said he “contributed” to Arbery’s murder and thus should be sentenced to life with parole followed by 15 years of probation.

Travis McMichael’s attorney requests

Friday 7 January 2022 16:52 , Megan Sheets

Travis McMichael’s attorney Robert Rubin asked the judge not to impose the strictest possible sentence because he claimed the defendant shot Arbery in self-defense.

He said that while Travis McMichael’s actions were “thoughtless”, they do not show that his “soul was so blackened to deserve a sentence of life in prison without parole”.

Mr Rubin asked that Travis McMichael be given “the possibility of redemption” with a sentence of life with parole.

He said doing so would give the defendant a chance to be a “force for good”.

Court on break for lunch

Friday 7 January 2022 16:55 , Megan Sheets

The court is now on a lunch break until 1pm EST.

After the break, the attorneys for Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr will make their sentencing requests.

RECAP: What happened to Arbery?

Friday 7 January 2022 17:30 , Megan Sheets

Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was described by friends and family as an avid athlete and hip-hop fan. On 23 February, 2020 the former linebacker for the Brunswick High School Pirates, who had once dreamed of playing pro football, set off for a jog through the neighbourhood of Satilla Shores, near Brunswick, Georgia.

As he continued on his run, he was spotted by Gregory McMichael, 67, Travis McMichael, his son, 35, and their neighbour William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, who mistakenly believed Mr Arbery was responsible for a number of break-ins in the area, including in a vacant home under construction. The trio, all white men, began pursuing Mr Arbery in their trucks, with the McMichaels armed with a pistol and a shotgun, and Bryan recording a video of the chase on a cellphone.

Eventually, they tried to corner the jogger using the vehicles. Travis McMichael and Ahmaud Arbery got into a physical confrontation, and McMichael shot him three times, killing him.

The Independent’s Josh Marcus has more:

Who is Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man whose killers were found guilty of murder?

Court back in session

Friday 7 January 2022 18:08 , Megan Sheets

The sentencing hearing has resumed after a lunch break.

Gregory McMichael’s lawyer, Laura Hogue, is now making an argument to merge the charges against him.

Watch along live:

Gregory McMichael’s attorney calls him a ‘good man'

Friday 7 January 2022 18:36 , Megan Sheets

In arguing against life without parole for Gregory McMichael, attorney Laura Hogue denied the prosecutor’s assertion that her client has not shown remorse, saying he has been unable to express sympathy to Arbery’s family because of the upcoming charges he still faces in federal court.

Ms Hogue claimed he is a “good person” who has done “thousands and thousands of big and little acts of kindness” throughout his life and “served his community” as a police officer in the years before he murdered the Black man.

“Greg McMichael is a good man. He is not a perfect person. None of us are. He has lived a good life, a life of service and that has to count for something,” she said.

Bryan Jr’s attorney argues for lower sentence

Friday 7 January 2022 18:55 , Megan Sheets

William “Roddie” Bryan Jr’s lawyer Kevin Gough is now making his case to have his client receive the lowest sentence possible.

Repeating his tune throughout the trial, Mr Gough asserted that Bryan Jr was not a party to the killing and is not a vigilante, he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He noted that Bryan Jr did not have a gun with him on the day of the pursuit, saying it shows he had no intention to kill.

In a jarring remark, Mr Gough suggested that Arbery may still be alive if Bryan Jr had been successful in striking Arbery with his car during the pursuit that preceded the hearing.

Mr Gough also claimed that he did not receive the state’s notice about its intent to seek a sentence of life without parole.

Defendants’ wife and mother is not at hearing

Friday 7 January 2022 19:15 , Megan Sheets

Leigh McMichael, the wife of Gregory and mother of Travis, is not in attendance at Friday’s sentencing hearing.

Asked why she wasn’t there, a defence investigator said Ms McMichael “couldn’t handle it”, according to a pool reporter.

Brief break before sentencing

Friday 7 January 2022 19:33 , Megan Sheets

The court is on a brief break to allow the judge time to review notes before handing down sentences.

Prior to the break, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski stepped up to rebut the defence attorney’s arguments for lower sentences.

For Bryan Jr, she argued that the law does not allow for any parole relief because he was convicted of felony murder.

For Gregory McMichael, she refuted the defence’s assertion that he feels remorse by noting that it was he who released video of the killing because she said he believed it would exonerate him.

For Travis McMichael, she noted that he was not released on bail because he was deemed a danger to society and said the she does not believe the possibility of parole will change that.

Judge on bench to deliver sentence

Friday 7 January 2022 19:52 , Megan Sheets

Judge Timothy Walmsley is now on the bench preparing to hand down sentences.

The judge delivered brief remarks before reading out the sentence for each defendant.

He began by noting the significance of the case not only in Georgia but around the country.

He called Arbery’s murder “a tragedy on many, many levels”.

The judge then ushered in a minute of silence to represent the amount of time Arbery was running in the Satilla Shores neighbourhood before he was shot.

Travis and Gregory McMichael sentenced to life without parole

Friday 7 January 2022 20:06 , Megan Sheets

Judge Walmsley has sentenced Travis and Gregory McMichael to life without parole, plus 20 years to be served consecutively.

William “Roddie” Bryan Jr received life with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Father and son sentenced to life without parole for murder of Ahmaud Arbery

Judge explains sentences

Friday 7 January 2022 20:22 , Megan Sheets

Explaining his reasoning for the sentences, Judge Walmsley said he was guided by the defendants’ own words.

He noted how Gregory McMichael threatened to “blow [Arbery’s] head off”, described him as being “trapped like a rat” and said after his son fired the fatal shots: “If I could’ve gotten a shot at the guy, I would have.”

The judge noted that Travis McMichael described the shooting as “the worst day of his life” and “acted like he was in shock” after the shooting, despite having gone out to pursue Arbery.

The words he noted from Bryan Jr were his asking the McMichaels: “Y’all got him?” and telling police of Arbery: “I figured he’d done something wrong, I wasn’t sure.”

Judge Walmsley also quoted the victim impact statement from Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones, where she said: “When they could not scare or intimidate him, they killed him.”

“This was a killing, it was callous, and it occurred because confrontation was being sought,” the judge said.

Chants erupt outside courthouse

Friday 7 January 2022 20:33 , Megan Sheets

Chants of “Justice for Ahmaud” and “Black Lives Matter” erupted outside the Glynn County Courthouse as the sentences were handed down on Friday afternoon.

The scene was captured in video from CBS46 reporter Hayley Mason:

WATCH: Judge reads sentences

Friday 7 January 2022 20:45 , Megan Sheets

Watch the moment Judge Walmsley handed down each sentence below:

Family hold press conference

Friday 7 January 2022 21:14 , Megan Sheets

Ahmaud Arbery’s family is now addressing the media outside the Glynn County Courthouse.

The press conference began with civil rights attorney Ben Crump lauding the accountability for Arbery’s lynching.

A livestream is available here via 11Alive.

Arbery’s mother reacts to sentencing

Friday 7 January 2022 21:41 , Megan Sheets

The family of Ahmaud Arbery, whose killers were sentenced to life in prison without parole, thanked the outpouring of community support and commitment of civil rights advocates who have sought justice for his murder.

“I sat in that courtroom for five weeks straight,” his mother Wanda Cooper-Jones told reporters outside Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia on 7 January.

“But I knew we could come out with a victory,” she said. “I never doubted it. I knew today would come.”

She said the city of Brunswick “thought I would have to fight this fight alone, so they chose to ignore me.”

“They didn’t know I had you guys standing with me,” she added. “Thank you for standing with my family.”

The Independent’s Alex Woodward has more:

‘Your son made history’: Ahmaud Arbery’s family and attorneys praise life sentence

ANALYSIS: What comes next?

Friday 7 January 2022 22:24 , Megan Sheets

Almost two years after Ahmaud Arbery was chased through a neighbourhood by three men in pickup trucks and shot dead in the street, his killers were told today they would spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

Travis McMichael, 35, and his father Gregory McMichael, 66, were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Their neighbour William “Roddie” Bryan Jr was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

However, the sentencing of the three murderers does not mark the end of the case.

All three men are expected to file appeals against their convictions. Meanwhile, they are also due to stand trial on federal hate crime charges in February.

The first district attorney to handle the case is also facing criminal charges over her handling of the initial investigation.

Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones is also pursuing a civil lawsuit against police and prosecutors over their handling of the case.

Beyond this, many also feel the case could have far-reaching implications on so-called vigilante justice across America.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp explains what to expect over the coming months:

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery: What’s next after the sentencing?

Prosecution asks to bar defendants from profiting off killing

Friday 7 January 2022 23:00 , Megan Sheets

After the sentences were handed down, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski asked the judge to bar the defendants from making any money off of their convictions or trial - including from book or movie deals.

She said such a ruling would ensure the men “do not reap any sort of benefit from their actions”.

Ms Dunikoski added that should the defendants make any money off of this ordeal, the profits would be directed to the Arbery family.

Bryan Jr’s attorney responded by saying: “When the court does that, my only concern is how that would impact Mr Bryan’s ability to raise money for his defense, for his appeal. I wouldn’t want to be in a situation where he couldn’t do that inadvertently because of a sentencing condition.”

Arbery’s parents cry as sentences are handed down

00:00 , Megan Sheets

A string of images captured Ahmaud Arbery’s family’s reaction to Friday’s sentencing.

Ahmaud Arbery’s mother ‘very thankful’ for life sentences

00:36 , Graeme Massie

Wanda Cooper-Jones told CNN that her family was “very thankful” after the three men who killed her son were sentenced to life in prison.

“They got what they truly deserved today. I think we finally got justice for Ahmaud,” she told the news network.

RECAP: The sentences

01:00 , Megan Sheets

Travis McMichael, 35, was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 20 years on nine charges including malice murder after he shot Mr Arbery twice at close range with a shotgun.

Gregory McMichael was handed life without the possibility of parole plus 20 years on eight charges including felony murder. The 66-year-old armed himself with a firearm and jumped in his truck with his son that day, chasing him “like a rat” and threatening “stop or I’ll blow your f***ing head off!”

Bryan, 52, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after being found guilty on six charges including felony murder after jurors heard how he spotted his neighbours chasing Mr Arbery and jumped in his own truck to join in. He then used his vehicle as a “5,000-pound lethal weapon” to corner and attempt to strike the unarmed Black man.

All three were effectively handed life sentences as, under state law, life with the possibility of parole means parole can only be considered after 30 years in prison.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Father and son sentenced to life without parole for murder of Ahmaud Arbery

ICYMI: Judge’s remarks at sentencing

02:00 , Megan Sheets

Before delivering his sentencing decision, Judge Timothy Walmsley asked the court to sit in silence for one minute, saying it was a “fraction of the time that Ahmaud Arbery was running in Satilla Shores”.

“The chase in Satilla Shores went on over around a five minute period,” he said, saying he has been thinking of “the terror that must have been in the mind” of Mr Arbery during that time. As we all now know based upon the verdict in November, Ahmaud Arbery was murdered,” he said.

“It’s a tragedy, a tragedy on many, many levels. As we understand it, he left his home going for a run and ended up running for his life.”

The judge said he reached his decision to grant a lower sentence for Bryan because he believes he “stands in very different shoes” to the McMichaels.

He said he believes Bryan has shown remorse following the murder in his actions in the aftermath.

“He took steps early on in this process that demonstrated he had grave concerns that what occurred should not have occurred,” he said. “It does make Mr Bryan sit differently.”

However, he said that the verdict reached by the jury could not be disputed based on the evidence and that the outcome of the day could have ended differently if he hadn’t joined in the chase in his pickup truck.

By contrast, Judge Walmsley said that “very early on Gregory McMichael tried to establish a narrative” about the murder.

He quoted some of the 66-year-old’s statements in the aftermath including: “If I could have got a shot at the guy I would have shot him.”

He also pointed to Travis McMichael’s comments that it was the “worst day of my life”, pointing out the impact on so many other lives for the murder.

The footage of Travis McMichael “lifting the shotgun to fire at Ahmaud Arbery” showed a “truly disturbing scene” of a man who was “hunted down and shot”.

“And he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands,” he said. “When Ahmaud Arbery fell the McMichaels turned their backs.”

ICYMI: Victim impact statement from Arbery’s mom

03:00 , Megan Sheets

Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper-Jones said her son would have cut his toenails “if he knew he would be murdered that day” as she delivered an emotional victim impact statement at the sentencing of his three murderers.

Ms Cooper-Jones referenced comments made by one of the defence attorneys at trial where they described her son’s “long, dirty toenails”, sparking outcry over the attempt to paint Mr Arbery as a criminal and not as the victim.

“Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choices that he made does not reflect the reality of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores in his khaki shorts with no socks to cover his long, dirty toenails,” Gregory McMichael’s lawyer Laura Hogue said in closing arguments.

Ms Cooper-Jones, who was wearing a badge with a photo of her son, choked back tears as she referenced the derogatory comments about her son.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Ahmaud Arbery’s gives victim impact statement at murderers’ sentencing

Family rejects plea deal for three killers’ federal hate crime charges

04:00 , Megan Sheets

Ahead of Friday’s sentencing, it was revealed Arbery’s family rejected a plea deal that would have seen his killers spend 30 years in prison for federal hate crime charges.

The Department of Justice approached Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, earlier this week about the deal, under which Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr would be sentenced to three decades in prison if they admitted they were motivated by hate when they shot dead the Black jogger.

Ms Cooper-Jones told CBS News she rejected the deal because she wants the men to face those charges in court.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has more:

Ahmaud Arbery’s family rejects plea deal for three murderers ahead of sentencing

Arbery’s death ‘should force us to consider what a neighbour may be’ - judge

05:05 , Adam Withnall

In his comments during sentencing, judge Timothy Walmsley referred to a statement made by Arbery’s mother at court on Friday.

“They chose to target my son because they didn’t want him in their community,” Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery‘s mother, had said earlier. “When they couldn’t sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him.”

In his sentencing, the judge quoted the mother’s remarks, saying they struck him as “very true”.

“At minimum, Ahmaud Arbery should force us to consider expanding our definition of what a neighbour may be and how we treat them,” the judge said.

Read more about Ms Cooper-Jones’ victim’s statement here:

Ahmaud Arbery’s gives victim impact statement at murderers’ sentencing

What next after Ahmaud Arbery’s killers’ sentencing

06:53 , Adam Withnall

The three white men who chased and shot dead Black 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery were sentenced to life in prison on Friday.

But this far from marks the end of the case, as Rachel Sharp explains.

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery: What’s next after the sentencing?

ICYMI: Judge holds minute’s silence for Ahmaud Arbery

07:37 , Holly Bancroft

In an extraordinary moment in court, Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley interrupted his closing remarks to hold a minute’s silence.

He said that the minute only represented a fraction of the time that Ahmaud Arbery spent running for his life as three white men chased him for roughly five minutes.

Judge Walmsley said that he kept returning to “the terror” that must have been in Arbery’s mind.

He described Arbery’s ordeal, saying the young man had been “hunted down and shot”.

ICYMI: Ahmaud Arbery’s sister gives an emotional testimony about her brother

08:34 , Holly Bancroft

Ahmaud Arbery’s sister, Jasmine, took to the witness stand to describe her brother.

She told the judge: “Ahmaud had dark skin that glistened in the sunlight like gold. He had thick curly hair, he would often like to twist it.”

Her voice started to falter as she added: “He was tall with an athletic build. He enjoyed running and had an appreciation for being outdoors.

“These are the qualities that made these men assume that Ahmaud was a dangerous criminal and chase him with guns drawn.

“To me those qualities reflect a young man full of life and energy who looked like me and the people I love.”

She described Ahmaud as “funny” and said “he told jokes to lighten the mood”.

He “had a big personality” that was taken from him “in an instance of violence”, Jasmine Arbrey said.

“He will never be able to fulfil his professional dreams, nor will he be able to start a family, or be a part of my daughter’s life.

“The loss of Ahmaud has devastated me and my family and so I’m asking that the man that killed him be given the maximum sentence available to the court”.

Watch her statement here:

Prosecutors ask that men convicted for Ahmaud Arbery’s murder not be allowed to make money off their actions

09:13 , Holly Bancroft

Prosecutors asked the judge for a condition to be imposed that would stop the three men convicted of murder from making any money off their crimes.

Making her presentation to the court, a prosecution lawyer said: “The state ask for a condition imposed along with the sentence and that is this - that defendants are not allowed to make any money off of their actions such as a book deal, a movie deal, social media deal, or anything that in any way shape or form would make any money off of this experience, this conviction, and this trial.”

She asked that should any money be made that it would go into a fund for the Arbery family.

Listen to the statement here:

Georgia judge calls Ahmaud Arbery’s murder ‘chilling'

11:51 , Holly Bancroft

If you are just catching up on the outcome of Travis McMichael and his father Gregory’s sentencing, here is a useful round-up of what the judge said in court.

Father and son sentenced to life without parole for murder of Ahmaud Arbery

What next for father and son?

14:03 , Gino Spocchia

A month from now, on 7 February, a federal judge has scheduled jury selection to begin in the second trial against Gregory and Travis McMichael for federal hate crimes charges.

Jurors will have to decide whether the killing was motivated by racism, having already been sentenced to life without parole for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

As The Associated Press reported on Friday, his family have said the hate crimes charges remain an important part of receiving justice for his death in February 2020.

Family rejected plea deal at 11th hour

14:28 , Gino Spocchia

A plea deal that would have sentenced the father and son – and their neighbour – to 30 years in federal prison was reportedly rejected by the Arbery family on Friday.

Instead, the three men convicted in November of murdering the Black man in February 202 were handed a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the father and son, Gregory and Travis McMichael.

As Rachel Sharp writes, William “Roddie” Bryan Jr will not be eligible for release for at least 30 years due to Georgia law, when he will be 82 years old.

Ahmaud Arbery’s family rejects plea deal for three murderers ahead of sentencing

Reminder: Who was Ahmaud Arbery?

15:00 , Gino Spocchia

The death of the 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery on 23 February 2020 caused widespread outrage following the release of video of three men chasing the Black man – who had been out running – while armed.

The former linebacker and aspiring college footballer was shot by Travis McMichael, who was with his father Gregory and their neighbour William “Roddie” Bryan, who were found guilty of murder in November.

Although no arrests were immediately made in the shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case amid calls for racial justice in 2020 in the wake of the killing of another Black man in Minneapolis, George Floyd.

His family have campaigned for nearly two years for justice, Josh Marcus writes:

Who is Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man whose killers were found guilty of murder?

Member of Congress pays tribute to Arbery

15:25 , Gino Spocchia

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley was among many to comment on the sentencing of the three men convicted of murderign Ahmaud Arbery and wrote:

Family delivered emotional impact statements

15:50 , Gino Spocchia

“These men have chose to lie and attack my son and his surviving family, they each have no remorse and don’t deserve any leniency,” said Ahmaud Arbery’s mother in covrt on Friday.

“This wasn’t a case of mistaken identity. They chose to target my son because they didn’t want him in their community... and when they couldn’t sufficiently scare him or intimidate him they killed him.”

Her emotional impact statement was among many before a judge decided to sentence the three men to life imprisonment for murderng Arbery.

His father Marcus Arbery described how he had watched the father and son duo Travis and Gregory McMichael sitting together in the courtroom throughout the trial, and that was something “I’ll never get that chance” to do.

Will the McMichaels face the death penalty?

16:15 , Gino Spocchia

Although murder is also punishable by the death penalty in Georgia, prosecutors in the case of Ahmaud Arbery’s killing chose not to seek the punishment against Gregory and Travis McMichael.

They were instead found guilty of murder and will spend the rest of their lives in prison. Their neighbour William “Roddie” Bryan will be able to seek parole after 30 years.

What happens next?

16:40 , Gino Spocchia

Following their conviction on state charges, the McMichaels and Bryan now face separate federal charges at a federal hate crimes trial which is scheduled to begin in February.

The three men could also appeal appeal against their convictions, although have not yet done so, as Rachel Sharp writes:

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery: What’s next after the sentencing?

MLK Jr’s daughter shares tribune to Arbery

17:05 , Gino Spocchia

The daughter of former civil rights leader and anti-racism campaigner Martin Luther King Jr has also paid tribute to Ahmaud Arbery following the sentencing of his three killers on Friday.

Bernice King, who is CEO of the Center for Nonviolent Social Change, shared the following:

What were the main arguments of the case?

17:30 , Gino Spocchia

Brandon Buskey, director of the ACLU’s Criminal Law Reform Project, told The Independent at the start of the trial against the McMichaels and Bryan in November that there was “no question that race is a central part of this case and has been from the very beginning”.

As have Arbery’s family argued that his death was akin to a “modern day lynching” and that he didn’t deserve to die.

The three men sentenced on Friday to life imprisonment alleged during their trial last year that they wanted to make a citizen’s arrest using a slavery-era Georgia law.

They also had a “gut feeling” that Arbery was responsible for break-ins in the area, even though none were reported in the weeks before thes shooting in Brunswick, Georgia, in February 2020.

Trial awaits ex-district attorney assigned to case

17:55 , Gino Spocchia

Jackie Johnson, who was the district attorney of Brunswick Judicial Circuit at the time of the murder, was a former colleague of Gregory McMichael and has been accused of mishandling the initial investigation.

Prosecutors allege that she used her position to shield McMichael, a retired police officer with Glynn County Police and a former investigator in her office.

Ms Johnson did recuse herself from the case, as did second prosecutor George Barnhill who also recused himself after recommending no charges be brought against the three men who were later convicted if murdering Arbery.

A trial awaits Ms Johnson, who Arbery’s mother said should be held “accountable as the three guys who actually did this to Ahmaud” were.

Reminder: What was the video?

18:20 , Gino Spocchia

The kIlling of Ahmaud Arbery was recorded on a cellphone by William “Roddie” Bryan, a neighbour of the McMichaels.

It was leaked by Gregory McMichael’s attorney in spring 2020, allegedly in the belief that it showed that the father and son had not committed any crime.

Instead, the video caused widespread outrage and led to the arrest. and charging of the three men, who were sentenced on Friday.

‘No more, no more, no more’, says civl rights lawyer

18:55 , Gino Spocchia

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump said on Friday that Ahmaud Arbery’s killers had finally been held to account – first by the jury and then by sentencing.

He then thanked families of other Black victims of violence, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, for supporting the Arbery’s.

Mr Crump noted that many cases involved no arrests and demanded: “No more, no more, no more”