BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The three men convicted of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder were found guilty Tuesday morning of federal hate crimes.
The decision was reached about 9:50 a.m. Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood said. It was announced at 10:30 a.m. after less than four hours of deliberations.
Arbery, 25, was killed two years ago Wednesday in the Satilla Shores subdivision just outside Brunswick after being chased for five minutes by Travis McMichael, his father Greg and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan. All three defendants were convicted of murder last year and sentenced in January to life in prison. Only Bryan, now 52, was given the possibility of parole.
The McMichaels’ contend they chased after Ahmaud Arbery in a pickup truck because they suspected him of stealing from a home under construction. Bryan, who lived down the street, joined the chase in his own truck after seeing Arbery run past his house with the men in pursuit. He filmed the widely shared cellphone video of Travis McMichael fatally shooting Arbery at close range with his Remington shotgun.
The defendants were accused of interfering with Arbery’s right to use a public street because of his race as well as attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels are also accused of using weapons during a crime of violence because both were armed during the deadly chase.
Closing arguments were delivered Monday and the jury of eight white people, three Black people and one Hispanic person began deliberating about 3 p.m.
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