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Murder

Racist Language Used by Ahmaud Arbery's Murderers Revealed in Federal Hate Crimes Trial

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The US Attorney Bobbi Bernstein presented shocking evidence of racist language used by William "Roddie" Bryan, Travis McMichael, and Gregory McMichael in the opening statements of the federal hate crimes trial of the three white men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020. The prosecution argued that the men targeted Arbery because of his race when they chased him through their pickup trucks and shot him dead in the street.

Key Takeaways:

  • William "Roddie" Bryan referred to a Black man his daughter was dating as an "n-word" and "monkey" just days before he murdered Ahmaud Arbery, a court heard on Monday.
  • Gregory McMichael told a witness that "Blacks are nothing but trouble" in reaction to the news that civil rights leader Julian Bond had died in 2015.
  • Travis McMichael used racial slurs in a number of social media posts and messages, including referring to Black people as "animals, criminals, monkeys, sub-human savages".
  • Travis McMichael shouted a racial slur at Ahmaud Arbery as he lay dying in the road, according to the prosecutor.
  • The McCichael duo followed Ahmaud Arbery not because he was a Black man, but because he was the man who had been illegally entering the house that was under construction, according to the defense.

Statistics:

  • The three white men are each charged with one count of interfering with Arbery's civil rights to use a public street because of his race and one count of attempted kidnapping.
  • The charges come with a maximum sentence of life in prison.
  • 23 February 2020 is the date of Ahmaud Arbery's murder.
  • 8 white people, 3 Black people, and 1 Hispanic person were selected for the jury after a total of 60 potential jurors were questioned in the selection process.
  • 3 white people and 1 Pacific Islander were selected as alternates.

Sources:

  • "William 'Roddie' Bryan referred to a Black man his daughter was dating as an 'n-word' and 'monkey'" - [1]
  • "Gregory McMichael told a witness that 'Blacks are nothing but trouble'" - [2]
  • "Travis McMichael used racial slurs in a number of social media posts and messages" - [3]
  • "Travis McMichael shouted a racial slur at Ahmaud Arbery as he lay dying in the road" - [4]
  • "3 white people and 1 Pacific Islander were selected as alternates" - [5]

[1] - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ahmaud-arbery-murder-trial-opens-federal-hate-crimes-case-2023-02-27/

[2] - https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/us/ahmaud-arbery-trial-jury-selection/index.html

[3] - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ahmaud-arbery-murder-trial-opens-federal-hate-crimes-case-2023-02-27/

[4] - https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/us/ahmaud-arbery-trial-jury-selection/index.html

[5] - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ahmaud-arbery-murder-trial-opens-federal-hate-crimes-case-2023-02-27/

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