Prosecutors reach plea deal with 2 of Ahmaud Arbery’s murderers ahead of hate crimes trial

Two of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers Travis and Gregory McMichael have reached plea agreements with prosecutors in their federal hate crimes case concerning the Black jogger’s 2020 murder in Georgia, according to court filings submitted Sunday night.

Why it matters: The pair, who along with William “Roddie” Bryan were sentenced to life in prison for the 25-year-old’s murder earlier this month, had indicated they would plead not guilty to the hate crimes charges. Jury selection was due to begin Feb. 7.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Details: No filing was announced for Bryan, who indicated earlier he would plead not guilty to the charges.

  • Prosecutors said in the filings that copies of the two plea agreements were submitted to the courts, but these were not immediately released, notes GPB News’ Benjamin Payne, who obtained the court filings.

The big picture: Arbery’s three white killers were convicted last November for his Feb. 23, 2020 murder.

  • The trio was each charged one count of the hate crimes charge of interference with rights, which carries a maximum of life in prison.

  • Federal prosecutors also charged all three with attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels also face gun violations charges.

Editor’s note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

Leave a Comment