Ahmaud Arbery news: Mother ‘very thankful’ as Travis and Gregory McMichael get life without parole

Brandon Buskey, director of the ACLU’s Criminal Law Reform Project, told The Independent at the start of the trial against the McMichaels and Bryan in November that there was “no question that race is a central part of this case and has been from the very beginning”.

As have Arbery’s family argued that his death was akin to a “modern day lynching” and that he didn’t deserve to die. 

The three men sentenced on Friday to life imprisonment alleged during their trial last year that they wanted to make a citizen’s arrest using a slavery-era Georgia law.

They also had a “gut feeling” that Arbery was responsible for break-ins in the area, even though none were reported in the weeks before thes shooting in Brunswick, Georgia, in February 2020.

Jackie Johnson, who was the district attorney of Brunswick Judicial Circuit at the time of the murder, was a former colleague of Gregory McMichael and has been accused of mishandling the initial investigation.

Prosecutors allege that she used her position to shield McMichael, a retired police officer with Glynn County Police and a former investigator in her office.

Ms Johnson did recuse herself from the case, as did second prosecutor George Barnhill who also recused himself after recommending no charges be brought against the three men who were later convicted if murdering Arbery.

A trial awaits Ms Johnson, who Arbery’s mother said should be held “accountable as the three guys who actually did this to Ahmaud” were.

The kIlling of Ahmaud Arbery was recorded on a cellphone by William “Roddie” Bryan, a neighbour of the McMichaels.

It was leaked by Gregory McMichael’s attorney in spring 2020, allegedly in the belief that it showed that the father and son had not committed any crime.

Instead, the video caused widespread outrage and led to the arrest. and charging of the three men, who were sentenced on Friday.

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump said on Friday that Ahmaud Arbery’s killers had finally been held to account – first by the jury and then by sentencing.

He then thanked families of other Black victims of violence, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, for supporting the Arbery’s.

Mr Crump noted that many cases involved no arrests and demanded: “No more, no more, no more”

Ahmaud Arbery’s mother said her son would have cut his toenails “if he knew he would be murdered that day”, in comments that were aimed at a defence attorney.

Speaking during the sentencing hearing on Griday, Wanda Cooper-Jones referredato comments made by one of the defence attorneys at last years trial who described her son’s “long, dirty toenails”.

As Graeme Massie reported, the comments have been widely condemned.