Brunswick, Georgia — Convicted of murder in a deadly shooting ofArmorburyafter chasing a 25-year-old black man in Georgia The sentenced white father and son neighborhood was sentenced to life imprisonment for committing a federal hate crime on Monday.
Judge Lisa God Baywood of the US District Court sentenced Travis McMichael, 36, and his father, Greg McMichael, 66, crushing the Brunswick community and more. Repeated the seriousness of the killings that became part of the larger population. Consider racial injustice. Both men had previously been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in state court for the murder of Arbury.
"A young man is dead. Armor Berry will be 25 years old forever. And the event the jury found happened because he was black," Wood said. Said.
In February, a federal jury convicted McMichael's and his neighbor William "Rodi" Brian for infringing Arbury's civil rights,for his race. Concluded that it targeted. All three were found guilty of attempted kidnapping, and McMichael was convicted of using a gun on behalf of a violent crime.
After passing his home on February 23, 2020, McMichael was armed with a gun and chased Arberry using a pickup truck. Brian took part in the chase on his truck and recorded a video of a cell phone where Travis McMichael shot Arbury. With a shotgun. McMichael's told police that Arbury was suspected of being a thief, but investigators determined he was unarmed and he was not committing a crime.
Read more:What does Armor Berry's death mean for his place of residence
Prior to Monday's ruling, Arbury's mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, said she felt that all the ammunition had been fired at her son every day.
"It's so unfair, so unfair, so unfair that he was killed while he wasn't committing a crime," she said.
Greg McMichael addressed the Arbury family, stating that their loss was "beyond the explanation."
"I'm sure my words have little meaning to you, but I want to ensure that this never happens," he said. "There was no malice in my heart or in my son's heart that day."
Outside the courtroom, Cooper Jones responded to his statement.
"I think he understands that he made some terrifying decisions. Unfortunately, his apology does not bring back my son," she said.
Travis McMichael refused to speak in court, but his lawyer, Amy Lee Copeland, received a lighter sentence from defendants similarly charged in other cases.George Floyd of Minneapolis,Derek Chauvinwere not charged with targeting Floyd for his race, saying they were more consistent with the one. , Was sentenced to 21 years in prison for violating Floyd's civil rights.
Greg McMichael's lawyer, A.J. Barbo also cited Chauvin's ruling and client age and health issues, including stroke and depression.
Read more: Column: George Floyd and Rodney King's family didn't want to be part of history — but they did I know it's51}
As with Floyd, the killing of Arbury was widespread because the local prosecutor hadn't filed a criminal accusation first. Captured in a video of a graphic cell phone that caused anger over.
"The evidence we presented at the trial proved that many people felt in their hearts when they watched Amad's tragic and unnecessary death video. This would never have happened if he were white, "Christopher Peras, another prosecutor, said Monday.
At the Hate Crimes Trial in February, prosecutors said about 20 text messages and social media that Travis McMichael and Brian used racist slurs to make derogatory comments. By showing the post to the prosecutor, they strengthened their lawsuit that the killing of Arbury was motivated by racism. About black people.
A judge in the State High Court sentenced McMichael and Brian to life imprisonment for the killing of Arbury in January, both of which denied the possibility of parole. Brian was scheduled for a sentencing trial late Monday in a federal proceeding.
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All three defendants are from the U.S. Marshal He remains imprisoned on the coast of Glynn County under his control. Federal conviction in January.
They were first charged with murder in state court and convicted, and were handed over to the Georgia Correctional Bureau for life imprisonment in state prison by the protocol.
In a court filing last week, Travis and Greg McMichael said they were unsafe in the Georgia prison system covered by the U.S. Department of Justice and would instead divert them to federal prisons. I asked the judge. The 74} investigation focused on violence between prisoners.
Copeland was threatened with hundreds of threats to kill her client as soon as she arrived in a state prison at a hearing by Travis McMichael on Monday, and his photo is an illegal phone call. Said that it was disseminated in.
"I'm concerned in your honor that my client is effectively facing the death penalty in the back door," she said, even for the "publicly abused" defendant. "Retaliation and revenge" was not a factor in the judgment, he added.
Arbury's father, Marcus Arbury Sr., said Travis McMichael was merciless to her son and deserved to "corrupt" in state prison.
"You killed him because he is black and hates blacks," he said. "You are not merciful."
Wood said he had no authority to order the state to relinquish custody of Travis McMichael to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, but in his case it does. There was no tendency to do it. She also refused to put Greg McMichael under federal control.
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