3 White Men Indicted on Federal Hate Crime Charges in the Death of Ahmaud Arbery

The three white men who were arrested and charged in connection with the death of an unarmed Black man in Georgia last year have all been indicted in federal court.

According to the Department of Justice, three white men from Georgia were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia and charged with hate crimes as well as the attempted kidnapping of Ahmaud Arbery. The indictment also charges two of the men with separate counts of using firearms during that crime of violence.

The three men, Travis McMichael, 35; Travis’s father, Gregory McMichael, 65; and William “Roddie” Bryan, 51, have each been charged with one count of interference with rights and with one count of attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels were also charged with one count each of using, carrying, brandishing, and in Travis’s case, discharging, a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

According to court documents, counts one and two of the indictment have alleged that the defendants used force and threats of force to intimidate and interfere with Arbery’s right to use a public street due to his race. Count one of the indictment states that as Arbery was jogging on a street in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick, Georgia, Travis and Gregory McMichael proceeded to arm themselves with weapons, got into a truck, and chased Arbery through the streets as they yelled at him, using their truck to cut off his path, and threatening him with firearms. It also alleges that the offense resulted in Arbery’s death. Count two also alleges that William “Roddie” Bryan joined the McMichaels for the chase and used his truck to cut off Arbery’s route.

In addition to the hate-crime charges, the third count also alleges that all three men attempted to unlawfully seize and confine Arbery by chasing him in their trucks in an attempt to restrain him, restrict his free movement, corral and detain him against his will, and prevent his escape.

Counts four and five allege that during the course of the crime, Travis McMichael used, carried, brandished, and discharged a Remington shotgun, and Gregory used, carried, and brandished a .357 Magnum revolver.

All three of the defendants have been charged in a separate state proceeding with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony. No trial date has yet been set for the state case.