GUILTY GA - Ahmaud Arbery, 25, jogger, fatally shot by former LEO and son, Brunswick, Feb 2020 *Arrests* #6

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Judge, is silent for a full minute and then speaks speaks of the terror Ahmaud must have felt in that five minute chase through Stailla Shores.

ETA
court has considered charges, evidence, lack of remorse, mitigators, criminal record, etc.
Defendants own words will guide this court in its sentencing.
Quotes
GM: trapped him like a rat
stop or I'll blow your $#$&@# head off, (etc)
called AA an wanted him to know we aren't playing
TM: this is the worst day of my life

Judge refers to enhanced video is "chilling" frame of TM lifting the shotgun, and watching it with context, it is truly disturbing scene.

AA was hunted down and shot, he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands

RB got involved because he figured he'd done something wrong, didn't know for sure, thought he would get away, (and most disturbing) if the guy would have stopped all of this would never have happened.

After AA lay shot the Ms turned their backs and walked away.
 
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Judge is vacating and merging several counts for TM, same for GM
RB is being viewed slightly differently, as far as remorse, I think he has remorse and questioned what had occurred at the scene. Took steps early on in this process

dang it feed is going out
 
Some remarks first: The court is just considered the evidence and what is appropriate, and not from outside influence.

"He left his home for a run, and wound up running for his life."

Judge is going to sit silently for one minute, which represents a fraction of the time that AA was running in Satilla Shores.

Judge keeps going back to the terror that was in the mind of AA while he was running for his life.

Sentences:

TM: Count 1: LWOP; 2-5 Vacated; Count 6: Merges; Count 7: 20 Years consecutive; Count 9: 5 Years concurrent (Life plus 20)
GM: Count 2: LWOP; 2-5 Vacated; Count 7: 20 years consecutive; Count 8: 5 years concurrent; Count 9 5 Years Concurrent (Life Plus 20)
RB: Life With Parole on Count 3; Count 7: 10 years; Count 8: 5 Years concurrent (Life with Parole)
 
tlcya said:
Honestly, Gough is doing pretty well here I must admit. He is not coming across in his typical overblown, dramatic fashion. He is coming across as reasonable and his mitigation argument is actually quite well reasoned and articulated. I'm rather shocked :eek:
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That is good to hear.

Though R's "shocked and horrified" claims need to be taken heavily salted, there is no evidence that he had previously coordinated with the Ms about a planned vigilante response.

Rather, he appears to have joined the chase on impulse. Likewise, he was able to supply good evidence that he was not armed (no recorded hand gun purchases).

R needs prison time. But he also deserves a chance to have the mitigating circumstances presented effectively. Glad to hear that Gough did not go bombastic this time.
 
For anyone who missed the sentencing hearing, one of the local news station has the full hearing on their YouTube channel here:

I only heard the judge's sentence so I'm watching the earlier parts of the proceeding now.
 
tlcya said:
Gough says poor clueless RB is less culpable. He had no idea what was going on. Mr. Bryan HAS expressed remorse on national television, even before he was ever charged. He is not the same as the other defendants.

Honestly, Gough is doing pretty well here I must admit. He is not coming across in his typical overblown, dramatic fashion. He is coming across as reasonable and his mitigation argument is actually quite well reasoned and articulated. I'm rather shocked :eek:
Click to expand...

I think that's because his client was already convicted, so really no point in tempting a "without parole" sentence. Waiting for the filing of ineffective counsel to happen any time based on Gough's trial demeanour and behaviour though ...
 
tlcya said:
I am satisfied with the judge's rulings on sentencing
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I am too- sort of.

Looking at R and his involvement as an individual, I wish the old Georgia law was still in effect. This would make him eligible for parole after 15 years.

Looking at it from a social point of view and a deterrent point of view, I think the 30 year minimum sentence not only serves as a deterrent to others, but serves as a clear and final statement that vigilante justice towards blacks is no longer tolerated in Georgia.

I just cant figure out for myself which takes precedence- the need for a deterrent / statement or looking at R as an individual. I guess I can accept the 30 minimum, but could also accept a 15 year minimum for R.
 
Three white men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery were sentenced Friday to life in prison, with a judge denying any chance of parole for the father and son who armed themselves and initiated the deadly pursuit of the 25-year-old Black man.

Murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison under Georgia law unless prosecutors seek the death penalty, which they opted against for Arbery's killing. For Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley, the main decision was whether to grant Greg and

Travis McMichael and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, an eventual chance to earn parole.

The judge ordered both McMichaels to serve life without parole. Bryan was granted a chance of parole, but must first serve at least 30 years in prison.

Ahmaud Arbery's Killers Get Life In Prison After Family Asks For Maximum Sentences | Oxygen Official Site
 
In court on Friday, Arbery's parents both gave victims impact statements.

"The man who killed my son has sat in this courtroom every day and sat next to his father," Marcus Arbery said. "I'll never get the chance to sit next to my son again. His killers should spend the rest of their lives thinking about what they did...and they should do it from behind bars."

He had a smile so bright, he lit up a room," said Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery's mother. "Ahmaud never said a word to them, he never threatened them, he just wanted to be left alone. They were fully committed to their crimes. Let them be fully committed for the consequences."

Cooper-Jones then addressed her slain son. "I made a promise to you the day I laid you to rest, that some day, somehow I would get you justice. This wasn't a case of mistaken identity or mistaken fact. They chose to target my son because they didn't want him in their community."

After nearly four hours of testimony, Judge Walmsley said that Arbery "went for a run, and ended up running for his life...he was killed because individuals in this courtroom took the law into their own hands."

"We are all accountable for our own actions," Walmsley said before handing down the verdict.
Men Who Murdered Ahmaud Arbery, Black Jogger Chased Down and Shot, Sentenced to Life in Prison
 
“A young man with dreams was gunned down in this community,” he said of Arbery. “As we understand it, he left his home, apparently to go for a run, and ended up running for his life.”

The judge then sat silently for one minute, which he said represented “a fraction of the time” that Arbery spent fleeing the men as they chased him through Satilla Shores on that Sunday afternoon.




In reaching his sentencing decision, Walmsley said he focused on the terror that must have gone through Arbery’s mind that day.

“Ahmaud Arbery was then hunted down and shot,” Walmsley said. “And he was killed because individuals here in this courtroom took the law into their own hands.”

BREAKING: Greg, Travis McMichael sentenced to life without parole
 
Vern said:
Waiting for the filing of ineffective counsel to happen any time based on Gough's trial demeanour and behaviour though ...
Click to expand...

I agree, G's arrogant and bombastic behavior did not help his client. I am thinking that an appeal could be based on:

A. Ineffective counsel
B. R's level and involvement and the totality of the circumstances preclude a murder conviction under Georgia law.

In my state (Texas) claims of ineffective counsel must show that the attorney's conduct was "egregious or shocking to the conscience". Though it can be shown that G was in over his head and is a habitual jerk, I dont think it can be shown that G was fundamentally incompetent or that his personality prevented a fair trial.

That could leave option "B" as the main appellate focus. I would data mine Georgia case law for examples of murder convictions later overturned where the defendant had "party to" type involvement, but was not the actual murderer. Then, see if any of those possible dismissals have anything in common with R.
 
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