Ahmaud Arbery trial verdict live – Mom breaks silence about jogging son after Travis McMichael & William Bryan GUILTY
THREE men charged with the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery were convicted of his murder on Wednesday and Arbery's mom has since broken her silence about the verdict.
Arbery's mother cried as the verdict was announced for Gregory McMichael, 65; his son Travis McMichael, 35; and their friend William 'Roddie' Bryan, 52.
“This is the second Thanksgiving we’ve had without Ahmaud. But at the same time I’m thankful. This is the first Thanksgiving we are saying we got justice for Ahmaud,” Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, told on Thursday.
The judge was forced to temporarily halt the verdict announcement after the courtroom erupted in cheers when Gregory's first guilty charge was read.
Outside the court, protesters celebrated the decision by shouting Arbery's name.
The killing of Arbery on February 23, 2020, sparked outrage across the country when a video of the death went viral months later.
All three defendants had pleaded not guilty and now face life in prison.
Read our Ahmaud Arbery live blog below for the latest updates...
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE AHMAUD ARBERY VIDEO?
The shocking footage first shows Arbery jogging down the road.
A white pickup truck then drives along and blocks his path.
Arbery can be seen running around the vehicle before a shot is fired.
The 25-year-old and another man then appear to scuffle before a further two shots are fired.
It is believed the first shot was to Arbery's chest, the second was to his hand, and the third was to his chest again before he collapsed.
WHO LEAKED THE AHMAUD ARBERY JOGGING VIDEO?
The incident was caught on a cellphone camera by William "Roddie" Bryan and months after Arbery was fatally shot, video of his death went viral.
It was revealed that the footage was shared by Gregory McMichael.
He gave the viral video to a local radio station with the idea that the clip of himself and his son would clear their names.
A friend of the McMichaels, Alan Tucker, previously said he was the one who leaked the video that showed what happened because he was trying "to stop a riot".
WHAT DOES A MALICE MURDER CONVICTION MEAN?
Malice murder is a criminal offense in the state of Georgia, committed when a homicide is done with express or implied malice.
The definition of malice is the intention or desire to do evil, or ill will.
Neither a malice or felony murder charge in Georgia requires a prosecutor to prove intent to kill, and no evidence of premeditation is required.
Express malice, however, does involve an intent to kill. Implied malice is when the there is “no considerable provocation” and the circumstances of the killing “show an abandoned and malignant heart."
According to the Atlanta Criminal Defense Team, the punishment for malice murder can result in a sentence of Life Imprisonment with the possibility of parole, Life Imprisonment without the possibility of parole, or the Death Penalty.
A malice murder charge is the most serious murder charge in the state of Georgia.
AHMAUD ARBERY'S MOTHER BREAKS SILENCE
“This is the second Thanksgiving we’ve had without Ahmaud," Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, told .
"But at the same time I’m thankful. This is the first Thanksgiving we are saying we got justice for Ahmaud."
After the verdicts came down on Wednesday, Cooper-Jones said she was able to finally face supporters and, “I finally got a chance to come out of those courtroom doors and say, we did it, we did it together."
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS ON AHMAUD ARBERY VERDICT: ‘WE FEEL THE WEIGHT OF GRIEF’
“Today, the jury rendered its verdicts and the three defendants were found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a .
“Still, we feel the weight of grief. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive, and nothing can take away the pain that his mother Wanda Cooper-Jones, his father Marcus Arbery, and the entire Arbery family and community feel today. I share in that pain.”
“These verdicts send an important message, but the fact remains that we still have work to do,” Vice President Harris added.
“The defense counsel chose to set a tone that cast the attendance of ministers at the trial as intimidation and dehumanized a young Black man with racist tropes. The jury arrived at its verdicts despite these tactics.”
“Ahmaud Arbery was a son. He was a brother. He was a friend. His life had meaning,” she continued.
“We will not forget him. We honor him best by continuing the fight for justice.”
STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN ON AHMAUD ARBERY VERDICT
“Ahmaud Arbery’s killing – witnessed by the world on video – is a devastating reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for racial justice in this country,” President Biden said in a .
“Mr. Arbery should be here today, celebrating the holidays with his mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, and his father, Marcus Arbery. Nothing can bring Mr. Arbery back to his family and to his community, but the verdict ensures that those who committed this horrible crime will be punished.”
“While the guilty verdicts reflect our justice system doing its job, that alone is not enough,” President Biden added.
“Instead, we must recommit ourselves to building a future of unity and shared strength, where no one fears violence because of the color of their skin.”
“My administration will continue to do the hard work to ensure that equal justice under law is not just a phrase emblazoned in stone above the Supreme Court, but a reality for all Americans.”
WHEN WERE ARBERY'S ALLEGED KILLERS ARRESTED?
Greg and Travis McMichael (father and son) and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, were arrested about two months after Arbery was killed.
Outrage sparked from a viral video of the killing, which Bryan recorded.
WHO IS WILLIAM 'RODDIE' BRYAN, CONTINUED
Gough, Bryan's lawyer, told that Bryan and his family - his two children and fiancee - have received "harassing and threatening communications" in the wake of Arbery's death.
The lawyer also said that Bryan had been fired from his job as a mechanic.
Gough added in 2020: "His family members have been harassed. They’re genuinely fearful. Here’s someone who videoed what happened. And for two months, he’s a witness."
"Overnight, he’s suddenly the target of the investigation. That’s a pretty big change of events."
He described Bryan as a "quiet man".
When cops responded to the shooting, Bryan led them to his car to watch his recorded footage, Gough said.
The attorney added that if his client hadn't filmed it, "the only version of what took place would have been coming from the two people with the guns".
WHO IS WILLIAM 'RODDIE' BRYAN?
William "Roddie" Bryan, 52, is from just outside the port city of Brunswick.
The Georgia man's cell phone recorded the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, the unarmed Georgia jogger.
Attorney Kevin Gough, who is representing Bryan, released a public statement in 2020 saying that, "Roddie is a family man, Nascar fan, and enjoys rock and roll".
The McMichaels weren’t arrested until the cellphone footage of the shooting leaked online, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case.
In June 2020, a grand jury indicted both McMichaels and their neighbor, Bryan, on charges.
WHO IS TRAVIS MCMICHAEL?
Travis McMichael, 35, is Gregory McMichael's son.
In November 2020, at the Superior Court, Travis's mother, Lee McMichael, testified that he lived with her and his father.
She also told the court that he has a son - then aged four - and doesn’t have a passport, reported the Associated Press.
His attorneys cited his past service as a US Coast Guard mechanic as proof of his character.
Zachary Langford - a friend of Travis McMichael’s since boyhood - testified that his friend was a jokester who got along with everyone.
WHO IS GREGORY MCMICHAEL, PART THREE
Five years later, in February 2019, months before he retired, Gregory McMichael again lost his certification from the council for failing to complete the required training in 2018, the Guardian reported.
Stripped of his law enforcement duties, he was reassigned to work as a staff liaison in the Camden county district attorney’s office but couldn't have his badge or carry a firearm.
McMichael retired in June 2019.
Dwayne Pollock, assistant Human Resources director for Glynn County, told that the office "located no record of discipline or complaints" associated with McMichael's career."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that McMichael had helped with a "previous prosecution of Ahmaud Arbery".
When he was in high school, Arbery was sentenced to five years probation on a weapons charge, the paper added.
WHO IS GREGORY MCMICHAEL, CONTINUED
In 2014, according to a personnel memo cited by News4Jax, "McMichael had his department-issued firearm taken away, his badge and any other card identifying him as a deputy sheriff or District Attorney’s Office investigator".
It added: "He was told he couldn’t serve subpoenas or work in the field until the issues were resolved."
McMichael applied for a training waiver, telling the Georgia POST Council that he had suffered two heart attacks between 2005 and 2009.
His wife had also been diagnosed with cancer and the couple had filed for bankruptcy due to “overwhelming” medical bills, News4Jax reported.
In 2014 his boss spoke to the council on McMichael's behalf, and his training waiver was granted, which meant he was able to continue on as chief investigator for District Attorney Jackie Johnson's office.
WHO IS GREGORY MCMICHAEL?
Gregory McMichael, 65, is a white retired law enforcement officer.
Employment records show he failed to complete sufficient basic law enforcement training, the .
This led to him losing his power of arrest in 2006, it adds, for failing to complete the required 20 hours of training the previous year.
McMichael was an investigator in the Brunswick judicial circuit district attorney’s office from 1995 to 2019.
adds that: "For eight years, Gregory McMichael was acting as an investigator with no arrest powers due to lack of training."
The website explains: "The lapse in state-mandated training for community-oriented policing, de-escalation, and use-of-force meant, between 2006 and 2014, McMichael didn’t have the authority or right to apply for arrest warrants, search warrants or conduct arrests under the color of the law."
WHO WAS AHMAUD ARBERY?
Mr Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was a former high school football star who graduated in 2012.
He lived in coastal Glynn County with his mother.
Friends and family say he was an avid runner.
Rafael Baker Jr., with whom Mr Arbery played football, remembered him as "vocal, funny and a goofy guy".
He told PBS NewsHour he thought of Mr Arbery as a brother, adding: "He made everybody smile.
"If there was anything going on, he knew how to lighten up the mood and just make you feel good."
Mr Arbery's dad Marcus Arbery Sr said: "He ran all the time.
"Everybody knows he ran all the time."
He said of his son: "All he did was work out... he had dreams.
"All his dreams, gone."
ARBERY'S MOTHER LEFT COURTROOM AFTER 'TOENAILS' COMMENT
Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, left the courtroom after Hogue's remark about Ahmaud Arbery's "toenails."
"I gotta get out of here," she said, CNN reported.
'TOENAILS' COMMENT SPARKS OUTRAGE
During the trial on Monday, Laura Hogue, one of Gregory McMichael's lawyers, made a comment about Ahmaud Arbery that sparked outrage.
"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," Hogue said to jurors, according to .
BREAKDOWN OF THE VERDICT, PART THREE: WILLIAM BRYAN
William “Roddie” Bryan Jr was found guilty of three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony.
But Bryan was acquitted of malice murder, one count of felony murder, and one count of aggravated assault.
He faces a sentence of up to life in prison without the possibility of parole on each of the murder charges, 20 years on the aggravated assault charge, 10 years on the false imprisonment charge, and 5 years on the criminal attempt to commit a felony charge.
BREAKDOWN OF THE VERDICT, PART TWO: GREGORY MCMICHAEL
Travis's father, Gregory McMichael, was found guilty of four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
However, he was acquitted on a malice murder charge.
He faces a sentence of up to life in prison without the possibility of parole on each of the four felony murder charges, as well as up to 20 years on each of the aggravated assault charges, 10 years on the false imprisonment charge, and five years on the criminal attempt to commit a felony charge.
BREAKDOWN OF THE VERDICT
Ultimately, the jury found Travis McMichael guilty 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 a felony.
He faces a sentence of up to life in prison without the possibility of parole on each of the murder charges.
He could also be sentenced to up to 20 years on each of the aggravated assault charges, 10 years on the false imprisonment charge, and five years on the criminal attempt to commit a felony charge.
HOW LONG DID THE JURY DELIBERATE?
The jury in the Ahmaud Arbery case deliberated for more than 11 hours over two days.
Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William ‘Roddie’ Bryan were all found guilty of murder in the trial.
AHMAUD ARBERY'S DAD SAYS 'ALL LIVES MATTER'
Marcus Arbery reacted to the guilty verdicts in the trial for his son's murder on Wednesday, saying "all lives matter."
WHO IS ATTORNEY BEN CRUMP?
Benjamin Lloyd Crump, 52, is an American attorney who specializes in civil rights and personal injury cases.
He is the founder and president of Ben Crump Law in Florida, with over 10 associates in his legal staff representing the firm and clients.
Crump attended Florida State University and received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1992, and his Juris Doctor in 1995.
He has been practicing law for nearly 25 years.
Crump has represented low-profile cases as well as notable ones, one being the Trayvon Martin death in 2012.
As of 2020, Crump has been actively involved in representing the families of George Floyd, Jacob Blake, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor.
MCMICHAELS AND BRYAN FOUND GUILTY
The verdict in the case of Ahmaud Arbery was decided on November 24.
Travis McMichael was found guilty of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggrevated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
Gregory McMichael was found not guilty for the charge of malice murder, and guilty of four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
William Bryan was found guilty of aggravated assault and felony murder.
AHMAUD ARBERY'S MOM REACTION TO GUILTY VERDICTS
Wanda Cooper-Jones broke down after the jury convicted Travis McMichael in the Glynn County Courthouse, in Brunswick, Georgia.
Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William 'Roddie' Bryan, charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were convicted of murder in the fatal shooting that became part of a larger national reckoning on racial injustice.
Credit: EPA STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN ON AHMAUD ARBERY VERDICT
“Ahmaud Arbery’s killing – witnessed by the world on video – is a devastating reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for racial justice in this country,” President Biden said in a .
“Mr. Arbery should be here today, celebrating the holidays with his mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, and his father, Marcus Arbery. Nothing can bring Mr. Arbery back to his family and to his community, but the verdict ensures that those who committed this horrible crime will be punished.”
“While the guilty verdicts reflect our justice system doing its job, that alone is not enough,” President Biden added.
“Instead, we must recommit ourselves to building a future of unity and shared strength, where no one fears violence because of the color of their skin.”
“My administration will continue to do the hard work to ensure that equal justice under law is not just a phrase emblazoned in stone above the Supreme Court, but a reality for all Americans.”
