On Nov. 24, a jury found three white men guilty of murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, who was Black, early last year, according to media reports.
Father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan all face minimum sentences of life in prison for the murder on Feb. 23, 2020, USA Today noted. The judge will decide whether that comes with or without the possibility of parole.
The nearly all-white jury found Travis McMichael, 35, who fired the shotgun, guilty on all nine counts, including malice murder and four counts of felony murder. His father, Gregory McMichael, 65, was found not guilty of malice murder but guilty of felony murder and all other charges.
Bryan, 52, who recorded video of the killing, was found guilty of three counts felony murder, one count aggravated assault, false imprisonment and a criminal attempt to commit a felony.
Cheers erupted as the verdicts were read, and people cried and embraced one another. Deputies called for order.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said, "Despite the guilty verdicts as to each defendant and the small measure of closure that these verdicts may hopefully bring his loved ones, nothing will ever bring Ahmaud Arbery back to life. He was killed for no reason other than the color of his skin, and regardless of the accountability that his killers now face—that fact speaks volumes about how far we have yet to go.
"Invariably, there will be a range of emotions that these verdicts will invoke. I urge that any expressions arising from these verdicts be exhibited peacefully and with respect for the law.
Kina Collins—a Congressional candidate in Illinois—issued a statement shortly after the ruling was read. "While I, along with so many activists, are relieved to see a guilty verdict in this case, we should all take a moment to think today about the mass organizing, and the mass consumption of viral Black suffering, that it took to get that bare minimum of accountability today.
"These three men nearly escaped being charged at all because a former prosecutor shielded them from facing any consequences for their actions. Despite their racist crime being caught on camera, it took 74 days—and nationwide protests—for charges to be brought."
In a separate release, Lambda Legal stated, "While we are relieved that justice was served today for Ahmaud Arbery and his family, no verdict can erase the pain and agony his family has endured. Our hope is that they can find the strength to carry forward in the wake of their unspeakable loss."
