In the US state of Georgia, the three men found guilty of the death of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery have each been sentenced to life in prison. The three white men became in november found guilty of murder after a month-long trial by a Glynn County jury.
It concerns 65-year-old Gregory McMichael, his 35-year-old son Travis and their neighbor Roddie Bryan (52). In February 2020, the McMichaels saw a black man running through their neighborhood, which is mostly white people. They grabbed their weapons and gave chase in a pickup truck.
The neighbor joined them in his own car. He filmed Travis McMichael shooting three times at close range at Arbery, who died in the process. The images went around the world and led to many protests.
The McMichaels later stated that they suspected that Arbery was on the run, and that he may have broken in. There was no reason for that, Arbery had gone jogging in his sports clothes, did nothing that was not allowed and had nothing else with him.
‘Racist murder’
It was already established after their conviction that the three would receive life sentences. Georgia’s criminal law leaves a judge with no choice. The judge ruled that father and son are not entitled to early release. So they will remain in jail until their death.
The filming neighbor does have the option to request early release after 30 years. The lawyers for the three convicts have already announced that they will appeal.
Relatives of Arbery called it a racist murder in court. “They targeted him because they didn’t want him around. When they couldn’t scare or intimidate him, they killed him,” Arbery’s mother said.
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