The three defendants found guilty for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery
(Picture: Getty Images)A father and son have been found guilty of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.
The jury of 11 white jurors and one black juror deliberated for hours before reaching a decision.
Travis and Gregory McMichael and their neighbour William Bryan, now face decades in prison over the death of Mr Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was shot and killed while out for a jog in February 2020.
There’s one significant change that came out of Arbery’s tragic death, though: a change in the law.
The perpetrators argued they were carrying out a citizen’s arrest under a Civil War-era Georgia law.
After Arbery’s death, it was revoked.
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As a result of their pursuit of Arbery through the community of Satilla Shores, near Brunswick, Georgia, the McMichaels and Bryan, were charged with multiple crimes including malice murder, felony murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a 12-gauge shotgun, and aggravated assault with pickup trucks.
On all counts, they pleaded not guilty.
The jury in Glynn County, Georgia, began deliberations on Tuesday and pondered the case for more than 10 hours before returning a final judgement.
Travis McMichael, the one who shot Arbery, was convicted on all nine counts.
Gregory McMichael, who was in the same truck as his son Travis and was equipped with a pistol and a shotgun, was acquitted of malice murder but found guilty of all other charges.
Bryan, who joined the chase in his own truck and filmed the incident on his phone, was acquitted of malice murder and one count of felony murder but convicted on three other counts of felony murder and three other offences.
When the verdict was read in the courtroom, the Arbery family was overcome with joy. They compared Ahmaud’s death to a "modern-day lynching."
See how others reacted to justice delivered:
"What do we want? Justice!"
— The Recount (@therecount) November 24, 2021
"When did we get it? Today!"
Demonstrators outside the courthouse react to the guilty verdicts for the 3 men who killed Ahmaud Arbery. pic.twitter.com/xxu4l6YWfo
A jury believed the evidence of their eyes and saw the meanness in the killers’ hearts. May this verdict bring a small measure of peace to #AhmaudArbery’s family and loved ones. https://t.co/pGGQfIcUfX
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) November 24, 2021
Last year, Ahmaud Arbery was ripped away from his family for simply jogging while being Black. We still have a long way to go to uproot the systemic racism and white supremacy that led to his murder, but today—those responsible for this pain are being held accountable. https://t.co/nQ7mPRbQy7
— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyDuckworth) November 24, 2021
Doesn’t bring the man back but TFG they got this right. https://t.co/cEa3wsG8de
— Lance Storm (@LanceStorm) November 24, 2021
Today is a great day for justice in America and for #AhmaudArbery and his family. At a time when we sometimes see justice denied and a rise of disillusionment in our system of justice, today’s verdict reminds us that we are a nation where the rule of law means something;..
— Doug Jones (@DougJones) November 24, 2021
Our world desperately need you to be an ally, not just today, but everyday.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) November 24, 2021
Progress is made my purposeful action. #AhmaudArbery pic.twitter.com/kNQhxbPGCs
The murder happened after the three men took off in pursuit of Arbery, claiming to have attempted a citizen’s arrest of the young man because they believed he was responsible for recent break-ins around the neighbourhood.
During the trial, it was found that, contrary to their allegations, the McMichaels’ knew that Arbery had not been accused of any crimes.
Citizen’s arrests in the United States have a troubled history, with a strong link to the enslavement of African Americans.
The state’s last version, which was passed by the legislature in 2010 and signed into law, said, in part, “If the offense is a felony and the offender is escaping or attempting to escape, a private person may arrest him upon reasonable and probable grounds of suspicion.”
