NewsNational

Actions

McMichaels, Bryan sentenced to life in prison for Ahmaud Arbery's murder

Only Bryan has chance for parole
Arbery Trial suspects
Posted at 10:57 AM, Jan 07, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-07 15:13:16-05

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A judge in Georgia Friday sentenced three men to life in prison for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley sentenced father and son Greg and Travis McMichael to life without the possibility of parole. Walmsley ruled that William "Roddie" Bryan can go up for parole down the line.

Murder carries a mandatory life sentence in Georgia. Walmsley's only options Friday were whether to grant parole.

A Georgia jury in November found father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, guilty of murder and other crimes in the February 2020 killing of the 25-year-old Black man.

The three men chased Arbery down a Brunswick, Georgia, street on Feb. 23, 2020, after they spotted him running in their neighborhood.

Arbery had briefly stopped inside a home in the neighborhood under construction. The McMichaels armed themselves and chased after him, believing him to be responsible for a series of break-ins in the area.

Video from the incident showed the McMichaels drive up beside Arbery. A struggle followed for a few moments before Travis McMichael fired his gun, and Arbery stumbled to the ground.

The men did not face charges connected with the shooting for several months. However, once the video leaked to the public, sparking outrage, the McMichaels were arrested just days later. Bryan was arrested and charged a few weeks later.