The father-son duo of Greg McMichael, 66, and Travis McMichael, 36, who chased and shot dead Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery have been given life sentences on Monday (August 9) for a federal hate crime.

The McMichaels, who are white, were found guilty of murder of Arbery after chasing him through a neighbourhood in Georgia. US district court judge Lisa Godbey Wood said the two had gone through a "fair trial" for the murder of 25-year-old Arbery. They are among the three defendants accused of the crime. Their neighbour, William "Roddie" Bryan, 52, received 35 years in jail for his involvement in the federal crime.

On February 23, 2020, the accused, holding firearms chased after Arbery, who was passing in front of their homes. Bryan also jumped into the chase and captured on camera how the duo shot Arbery. The duo, who had used a pickup van to go after Arbery, later informed the police they thought he was a thief. However, during the investigation, Arbery’s family said that he was on his routine jog, was unarmed, and had committed no offences.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-men-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-murder-of-ahmaud-arbery-443058">Three men sentenced to life in prison for murder of Ahmaud Arbery</a>

Wood scheduled back-to-back hearings to sentence each defendant separately. Bryan apologised in court for what happened to the victim.

Arbery’s parents had previously spoken in court about their grief over losing their son and the damage caused by the racism involved in his murder. His mother said that she is very thankful for the decision made. Arbery’s father said that McMichaels killed his son because he was a Black man and people like him deserve no mercy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahmaud-arbery-murder-trial-defence-attorney-faces-backlash-on-comments-about-black-pastors-429035">Ahmaud Arbery murder trial: Defence attorney faces backlash on comments about black pastors</a>

The McMichaels requested the judge&nbsp;to transfer them from a state jail to a federal jail as they believed it would not be safe for them in the Georgia prison system. However, the judge denied the request of the three defendants to choose a federal jail. Arbery’s family said that a federal jail would not be harsh enough for the defendants.

Arbery’s murder formed a part of a larger national conversation about racial injustice and the deaths of Black individuals without cause, including Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minneapolis. The US Justice department also filed federal charges in these two cases.<o:p></o:p>

Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump said that this decision has now marked a milestone in the journey and will be a turning point in the civil rights movement.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The father-son duo of Greg McMichael, 66, and Travis McMichael, 36, who chased and shot dead Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery have been given life sentences on Monday (August 9) for a federal hate crime.

The father-son duo of Greg McMichael, 66, and Travis McMichael, 36, who chased and shot dead Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery have been given life sentences on Monday (August 9) for a federal hate crime. The McMichaels, who are white, were found guilty of murder of Arbery after chasing him through a neighbourhood in Georgia. US district court judge Lisa Godbey Wood said the two had gone through a "fair trial" for the murder of 25-year-old Arbery. They are among the three defendants accused of the crime. Their neighbour, William "Roddie" Bryan, 52, received 35 years in jail for his involvement in the federal crime. On February 23, 2020, the accused, holding firearms chased after Arbery, who was passing in front of their homes. Bryan also jumped into the chase and captured on camera how the duo shot Arbery. The duo, who had used a pickup van to go after Arbery, later informed the police they thought he was a thief. However, during the investigation, Arbery’s family said that he was on his routine jog, was unarmed, and had committed no offences. Also read | Three men sentenced to life in prison for murder of Ahmaud Arbery Wood scheduled back-to-back hearings to sentence each defendant separately. Bryan apologised in court for what happened to the victim. Arbery’s parents had previously spoken in court about their grief over losing their son and the damage caused by the racism involved in his murder. His mother said that she is very thankful for the decision made. Arbery’s father said that McMichaels killed his son because he was a Black man and people like him deserve no mercy. Also read | Ahmaud Arbery murder trial: Defence attorney faces backlash on comments about black pastors The McMichaels requested the judge to transfer them from a state jail to a federal jail as they believed it would not be safe for them in the Georgia prison system. However, the judge denied the request of the three defendants to choose a federal jail. Arbery’s family said that a federal jail would not be harsh enough for the defendants. Arbery’s murder formed a part of a larger national conversation about racial injustice and the deaths of Black individuals without cause, including Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minneapolis. The US Justice department also filed federal charges in these two cases. Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump said that this decision has now marked a milestone in the journey and will be a turning point in the civil rights movement. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ahmaud Arbery murder: Father, son get life in prison for federal hate crime

In the United States, three men were sentenced to life in prison on Friday (January 7) for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a case that highlighted tensions in the country over racial justice.&nbsp;

The three men - Travis McMichael, 35, his father, Gregory McMichael, 66, and neighbour William "Roddie" Bryan were convicted of murdering Arbery after chasing him in their pickup trucks. All were convicted of multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment in November.&nbsp;

A judge in Georgia sentenced them to life in prison, with two having no chance of parole. Under Georgia law murder gets carries a mandatory life sentence unless the death penalty is sought by prosecutors.&nbsp;

The trial was driven by graphic video of the armed men following Arbery as he ran through their neighbourhood, suspecting with no evidence that he might have been a burglar.

The video, taken by Bryan, shows Arbery trying to avoid them and then Travis McMichael eventually confronting and shooting him with a shotgun.

The video was initially kept secret by local law enforcement and it took several months for the McMichaels and Bryan to be arrested, which came after the footage was leaked online, sparking national outrage.

The judge agreed with prosecutors and Arbery's relatives that the three men, who are white, had "assumed the worst" about Arbery, who he said was "hunted down and shot, and he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands."

Earlier,&nbsp;Arbery's family told the court they believed that racial stereotyping led to the killing of the avid jogger, who grew up and still lived across the highway from the Satilla Shores neighborhood where he died.

Arbery's mother reacts to the verdict

The mother of Ahmaud Arbery hailed the sentencing, saying that she never lost faith that justice would be done.&nbsp;

"I knew that we would come out with a victory. I never doubted it and I knew that today would come," Wanda Cooper-Jones said at a press conference outside of the courtroom.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the United States, three men were sentenced to life in prison on Friday (January 7) for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a case that highlighted tensions in the country over racial justice.

In the United States, three men were sentenced to life in prison on Friday (January 7) for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old African-American jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a case that highlighted tensions in the country over racial justice. The three men - Travis McMichael, 35, his father, Gregory McMichael, 66, and neighbour William "Roddie" Bryan were convicted of murdering Arbery after chasing him in their pickup trucks. All were convicted of multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment in November. A judge in Georgia sentenced them to life in prison, with two having no chance of parole. Under Georgia law murder gets carries a mandatory life sentence unless the death penalty is sought by prosecutors. The trial was driven by graphic video of the armed men following Arbery as he ran through their neighbourhood, suspecting with no evidence that he might have been a burglar. The video, taken by Bryan, shows Arbery trying to avoid them and then Travis McMichael eventually confronting and shooting him with a shotgun. The video was initially kept secret by local law enforcement and it took several months for the McMichaels and Bryan to be arrested, which came after the footage was leaked online, sparking national outrage. The judge agreed with prosecutors and Arbery's relatives that the three men, who are white, had "assumed the worst" about Arbery, who he said was "hunted down and shot, and he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands." Earlier, Arbery's family told the court they believed that racial stereotyping led to the killing of the avid jogger, who grew up and still lived across the highway from the Satilla Shores neighborhood where he died. Arbery's mother reacts to the verdict The mother of Ahmaud Arbery hailed the sentencing, saying that she never lost faith that justice would be done. "I knew that we would come out with a victory. I never doubted it and I knew that today would come," Wanda Cooper-Jones said at a press conference outside of the courtroom. (With inputs from agencies)

Three men sentenced to life in prison for murder of Ahmaud Arbery

It is a historic day for America's fight for racial justice, 3 white men have been found guilty for the murder of black man Ahmaud Arbery. In the state of Georgia in 2020, 25 year old was murdered while he was jogging through the neighborhood.

United States: 3 men found guilty for murdering a black man in Georgia