Headlines
The killers of Ahmaud Arbery are appealing to the court to overturn their hate crime convictions.
– Panel of judges hear arguments to overturn hate crime conviction of three white men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in 2020
– Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison
– Hate crimes trial centered on the men’s racial bias, compared Arbery’s death to a modern-day lynching
– Prosecutors argued that defendants had hate and prejudice toward Black people
– Defense argued past racist comments didn’t prove racist intent to harm, and that Arbery was not killed on a public street as required by federal law
– Arguments discussed motive for chasing and killing Arbery, video evidence, and attempted kidnapping charge
– Prosecutor urged judges to uphold hate crime convictions, stating Arbery would be alive if not a Black man
– Rally outside courthouse to protest appeal, first federal hate crimes conviction in Georgia
– Appellate judges did not indicate when they would rule, if federal convictions overturned, defendants would remain in prison.
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