A 25 years old black man named Ahmaud Marquez Arbery was killed on February 23, 2020, by two white men at Satilla Shores near Brunswick. The onlooker William “Roddie” Bryanrecorded the entire incident on his cell phone. The three were testified in court on the grounds of murdering the young man.
However, Bryan denied the charges as he claimed that he joined the chase independently only after he presumed Ahmaud of committing a theft. But the two men who actually chased Ahmaud were revealed to be father and son named Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael, later being the ones to shoot the victim. Let’s see what this duo is upto now.
What Happened During Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael’s Trial?
![ABC’s 20/20](https://gizmostory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ABCs-2020-Amazon.jpg)
Gregory McMichael, a 65 years old retired officer and his 35 years old Coast Guard son Travis McMichael were arrested in 2020 on the grounds of murdering Ahmaud and were accused of four counts of felony murder, one count of false imprisonment, one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony, one count of malice murder and two counts of aggravated assault each.
Their trial began in 2021 itself, and the defense claimed that Gregory and Travis McMichael only went after Ahmaud owing to him possessing arms, and that latter could detain him for that. The accused further added that they also suspected Ahmaud of stealing from the local houses, which were happening for a while in their neighborhood, and were provoked to take action when he didn’t stop on confrontation.
In the fight that ensued, Travis fired three shots on him while Gregory sat in their truck. The younger McMichael even added that if he hadn’t shot him, then he would have taken the gun from him and shot him instead, so to save himself, he did the needful. But the prosecutors weren’t fully convinced as the father and son’s act to fire the victim of his supposed crime was unethical and not in any way a means to protect themselves.
They added that the duo’s choice was essentially based on the victim’s ethnicity. The video that was made by an onlooker named William “Roddie” Bryan, along with footage from police cameras, were also presented during the trials, which clearly indicated that the McMichael’s in no way detaining the deceased. The officials that came to the crime site also testified that the two weren’t sorry for their actions but rather boasted about the same without providing any help to the victim.
Where are Travis McMichaeland Gregory McMichael Now?
Finally, on November 24, 2021, the father and son were claimed to be guilty of murdering 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. Travis was convicted for all the nine counts that were mentioned above, while his father Gregory had also been accused of the same charges except for malicious murder by a jury of 12 members. The prosecutors have declared to give them life sentences without the chance of parole while their lawyers claim that they would file an appeal.
![ABC’s 20/20](https://gizmostory.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ABCs-2020-ABC.jpg)
The exact date for their sentences is yet to be out. The two will in February next year go to the federal court to face hate crime charges against them which include one count of attempted kidnapping, one count of interference with the victim’s right to use a public street owing to his race, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing an arm. Till then, they will be kept in Glynn County Jail in Brunswick in Georgia.
Who was the Third Person Accused in the Case?
William “Roddie” Bryan, a 50 years old neighbor of McMichaels, has also been convicted on the grounds of one count of aggravated assault, three counts of Guilty of felony murder, one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony, and one count of false imprisonment.
Even though the defense claimed that Bryan was unaware of the fact that his neighbors carried arms to kill Ahmaud. But the prosecutors pointed out that along with his false assumption of Ahamud being a burglar, he also turned a blind eye towards the victim when he was shot.