Ex-cop Gregory McMichael, 66, his son Travis McMichael, 35, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, had potentially faced the death penalty after being found guilty in late November of the horrific caught-on-camera 2020 slaying.

The three unwise men who were Ahmaud Arbery’s killers all sentenced to life in prison, father and son without parole

By George E. Smith

The three white Georgia men who chased and gunned down Ahmaud Arbery were each given life sentences Friday for what the dead jogger’s dad called a modern-day lynching “in broad daylight.”

Ex-cop Gregory McMichael, 66, his son Travis McMichael, 35, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, had potentially faced the death penalty after being found guilty in late November of the horrific caught-on-camera 2020 slaying.

The shooter, Travis, was told he would spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole for the top charge of malice murder, with 20 years to be served consecutively for other charges.

The shooter, Travis, was told he would spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole for the top charge of malice murder, with 20 years to be served consecutively for other charges.

His dad Greg, who was with him during the deadly chase and confrontation, also got life without the possibility of parole for felony murder, with 20 years for aggravated assault.

Bryan — who had filmed the chase and fatal shooting — also got life, but with the possibility of parole. He also got 10 years on other charges, which was suspended.

Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski instead asked Judge Timothy Walmsley to give life without parole for the McMichaels, and life with the possibility of parole for Bryan, who filmed it.

She said all deserved that mandatory life sentence for “vigilantism” and showing “no empathy for the trapped and terrified Ahmaud Arbery” as they chased him through their mostly white Brunswick neighborhood.

Before getting their sentences, the trio — wearing suits and face masks in — heard Arbery’s mother, father and sister tearfully plead for them to be sent to prison for the rest of their lives.

“Not only did they lynch my son in broad daylight, but they killed him while he was doing what he loved more than anything, running,” the 25-year-old victim’s dad, Marcus, said. 

Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging in February 2020.

“When I close my eyes I see his execution in my mind, over and over. I’ll see that for the rest of my life” he said.

He also spoke of the pain of looking at “the man who killed my son” sitting in the court “next to his father.”

“I never get that chance to sit next to my son ever again,” he said.

“I pray that no one in this courtroom ever has to do what we did — bury their child. There’s no words for that. No words know that much pain,” he said.

“My heart is broken, and always will be broken” because of “evil and hate,” he said, saying he was there to “fight” for justice for his son.

“His killers should spend the rest of their lives thinking about what they did and what they took from us. And they should do it from behind bars, because me and my family, we’ve got to live with his death for the rest of our lives. We’ll never see Ahmaud again,” he said.

Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, also pleaded with the judge to not grant the possibility of parole.