Killing of Ahmaud Arbery - Federal Hate Crime Charges

[LM K]

The trial is expected to go for 7-12 days. Including time for deliberation, the jury will be sequestered for a minimum of 2 weeks.

Ouch!

Dog bless those jurors.

[LM K]

OMG.

TM= Travis McMichael
GM= Gregory McMichael
WRB= William "Roddie" Bryant

Today, and FBI analyst is testifying about the text messages found on TM's and WRB's phones and social media posts by TM, GM, and WRB.

Arbery’s killers sent many racist messages, FBI analyst says; one defendant spoke of violence against Black people

One of the three White men convicted in Ahmaud Arbery’s murder did not want his daughter dating a Black man and called him the n-word in a text message, according to the FBI.

Another shared a meme that claimed “White Irish slaves were treated worse than any other race in the U.S.” The third, Travis McMichael, who fatally shot Arbery in February, 2020, spoke about killing Black people and wrote in a message that he loved his job because “zero n-----rs work with me."

“We used to walk around committing hate crimes all day," he wrote in another text conversation a few months before the shooting.

The second day of testimony in the federal hate-crimes trial over Arbery’s death opened Wednesday with an FBI analyst detailing dozens of racist social media posts and messages allegedly sent by the three men who chased and killed Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, in their coastal Georgia neighborhood in early 2020.


FBI intelligence analyst Amy Vaughan testified Wednesday about investigators’ review of the defendants’ phone messages and social media. She spent most of her time on Travis McMichael, 36, walking the jury through a litany of conversations in which he denigrated Black people, often while calling them the n-word. McMichael associated Black people with criminality, spoke explicitly about committing violence against them and blamed them when he struggled to get a commercial driver’s license, accusing them of “running the show,” Vaughan testified.

“I say shoot all of them,” he commented on a video that showed a group of mostly Black teenagers attacking a White teenager. He also appeared to advocate running over protesters in response to a video of a car hitting Black women. When someone sent McMichael a video in which a Black man plays a prank on a White man, he used a racial epithet in saying he’d kill the prankster.

Turning to Bryan, 52, Vaughan testified that text messages showed Bryan’s running joke with a friend about serving as “grand marshal” of a parade on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. “I think the joke is that he would never do that,” she told the jury. While texting about the holiday, Vaughn added, Bryan referred to Black people using multiple racial slurs and referenced a “monkey parade."

Four days before Arbery was shot, the prosecutor said, Bryan used the n-word to refer to his daughter’s boyfriend, who was Black.

Greg McMichael was less active than his son on Facebook, Vaughan said, and law enforcement agents were unable to break through the encryption on his phone to see his messages. But they gleaned some information from online backups of the device and found the elder McMichael sometimes posted memes on Facebook, including the one that said White Irish slaves were treated worse than other enslaved groups. “When was the last time you heard an Irishman b----ing about how the world owes them a living?” the meme continued, according to Vaughan.


Prosecutors also called Richard Dial, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation who was assigned to the case and testified to the findings of the state probe in the shooting.

Dial and the other witnesses said there was no evidence that the McMichaels sought to provide aid or comfort to Arbery as he lay bleeding to death on the pavement. Cross-examining Dial, defense lawyers sought to establish that there had been reports of stolen items, including guns, in the neighborhood in the weeks leading up to the shooting, and that neighbors had discussed those incidents on social media.

FBI witness: Defendants in Arbery killing used racial slurs

Two of the three white men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery repeatedly used racial slurs in text messages and social media posts, an FBI witness testified Wednesday in their federal hate crimes trial.

FBI intelligence analyst Amy Vaughan led the jury through dozens of conversations that Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan had with others, identified only by their initials, in the months and years before the 25-year-old Black man's killing. The FBI wasn’t able to access Greg McMichael’s phone because it was encrypted, Vaughan said.

In text and Facebook conversations with friends, Travis McMichael frequently used the N-word to describe Black people. In a Facebook conversation with a friend, he also shared a video of a young Black boy dancing on a TV show with a racist song that included the N-word playing over it. He also said that Black people “ruin everything” and repeatedly said he was glad he wasn't a Black person, using a racial slur.

In other social media posts, Travis McMichael advocated violence against Black people. In December 2018, he commented on a Facebook video of a Black man playing a prank on a white person: “I'd kill that f----ing n----r.”

And in June 2017, he shared a TV news story about a violent confrontation between two white women and two Black customers upset over cold food at a Georgia restaurant, using a racial slur to comment that he would beat the Black people "to death if they did that to (name redacted by the FBI) or my mother and sister.” He added that he would have no more remorse than putting down a rabid animal.

Bryan also used the N-word, but his preferred slur was one that refers to a derogatory characterization of a Black person's lips, Vaughan said. Over a number of years, Bryan exchanged racist messages on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In messages sent in the days surrounding Arbery's killing, Bryan was clearly upset that his daughter was dating a Black man.

Greg McMichael posted a meme on Facebook in 2016 saying white Irish slaves were treated worse than any race in the U.S. but that the Irish aren't asking for handouts.

“I ain't really shocked,” Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, told reporters outside the courthouse. Still, he said he didn't realize “all that hate was in those three men.”

Defense attorneys had few questions for the FBI analysis and didn't dispute the racist posts. They said in their opening statements to the jury Monday that racist comments by their clients were offensive and indefensible but don't prove that they committed hate crimes.

Travis McMichael’s attorney, Amy Lee Copeland, said some of his texts and posts lacked context, and “you can’t hear that inflection of voice and see what’s going on.”

TM is screwed. If I were him, I'd have pleaded guilty just to keep the content of the texts and social media from public light. His texts/social media will only help him with White Extremists in GA prisons. It will give black prisoners even more reasons to kill him.

[RVInit]

I think this does explain why the McMichaels tried to make that plea deal. Along with wanting to serve time in a federal prison, all this stuff wouldn't have come out. They are going to have fun in prison. /s

[LM K]

More about TM and GM:

Travis McMichael, she said, once texted a friend saying he loved his job because "zero" Black people worked with him, using the N-word. Commenting on an online video of a Black man lighting a firecracker stuffed in his nose, he messaged a friend saying: "It’d be cooler if it blew" the head off of the man, using the N-word. The friend was taken aback by how angry McMichael sounded, she said.


As for Greg McMichael, Bernstein said a former colleague of his will testify that McMichael responded angrily in a conversation about the 2015 death of civil rights activist Julian Bond, saying: “Those Blacks are all nothing but trouble.”

[LM K]

Two of the men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery used racist slurs in messages, a witness testifies at their federal hate crime trial

A text message dated January 21, 2019, referenced Travis McMichael meeting a friend at a local Cracker Barrel restaurant. Vaughan read the conversation aloud in court. The friend tells Travis, "This Cracker Barrel up here is full of some other kinds of people." Travis' reply used a racist slur about African Americans.

As this discussion was happening, Arbery's father walked out of the courtroom shaking his head. He returned a short time later, still shaking his head as the testimony continued.


In another message entered into evidence, dated November 1, 2016, the day after Halloween, Travis McMichael is sent a photo from a friend. Vaughan said the photo appeared to be a "crude attempt" to depict Trayvon Martin after he was killed. The text was laughing about a man in blackface with a red splotch on a hoodie, the friend called it "the winner of Halloween 2016."

Evidence was also entered into record that Vaughan described as showing vigilantism from the older McMichael. Vaughan described a comment from Gregory McMichael on a social media post about a stolen surfboard where he suggested he might catch the culprit, and added: "We still hang horse and board thieves up here. Woe be to the sticky-fingered bastard."


Also introduced into evidence was a WhatsApp message dated January 20, 2020, from Bryan to a friend, that was read aloud in court.

"Happy Bootlip Day," Bryan wrote. Bryan went on to say, "I worked like a n***er today," according to Vaughan.

Another set of WhatsApp messages discussed Bryan discovering that his daughter was dating a Black man. A message between Bryan and friend dated February 19, 2020 -- four days before Arbery's killing -- had Bryan using a slur in reference to the boyfriend.

Vaughan said Bryan's daughter's relationship remained an ongoing theme in messages. A photo posted on Facebook of Bryan's daughter and her Black boyfriend together was sent to Bryan in a WhatsApp message on April 8, 2020. Bryan responded that if his daughter did not care about herself, "Why should we?"

[raison de arizona]

What garbage so-called human beings they are. I regret that we will have to pay to lock these wastes of air up for the rest of their lives.

[Ben-Prime]

I mean, as I understand it, William Bryan's defense right now is "Well, if I see two men chasing one man down a road, I assume they are chasing the man for a good reason and skin color doesn't enter into it."

So now I'm waiting for the hypothetical "So if two African-American men were chasing a Caucasian man down the street, you'd assume that it was the white man who was the perpetrator and the black men who were making a righteous attempt at a citizen's arrest? I just want to be sure about this."

Anyone else? Or am I alone on this one?

[raison de arizona]

I mean, as I understand it, William Bryan's defense right now is "Well, if I see two men chasing one man down a road, I assume they are chasing the man for a good reason and skin color doesn't enter into it."

So now I'm waiting for the hypothetical "So if two African-American men were chasing a Caucasian man down the street, you'd assume that it was the white man who was the perpetrator and the black men who were making a righteous attempt at a citizen's arrest? I just want to be sure about this."

Anyone else? Or am I alone on this one?

Ahem. [catches breath]

[LM K]

'We were good friends': Friend of Ahmaud Arbery killer testifies in court

On Thursday, jurors entered day three of testimony in the federal hate crimes trial against the men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery nearly two years ago. Testimony in the case comes on the heels of testimony of racist text messages and social media posts by the three defendants — Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan.

Jurors have heard from several witnesses, including a friend of one of the defendants, Travis McMichael. Derek Thomas attended Brunswick High School with Travis McMichael. "We were good friends," Thomas testified. Thomas, who is white, briefly testified he'd sent "mostly fun" videos with McMichael "for laughs."

One video showed a Black man putting a firecracker up his nose and setting it on fire. Thomas confirmed social media evidence revealed McMichael responded, "Would've been better had it blown that (expletive) (n-word)'s head off."

Thomas, who opted to spell the racial slur instead of saying it, said he didn't expect McMichael to respond in that way and called him to ask why he did. He further testified that McMichael was upset about his stolen gun and believed a Black person took it, referring to them as a racial slur.

In response to another video Thomas sent, which showed a Black person playing a prank, McMichael said, "I'd have killed that (expletive) (n-word)."

During cross-examination, Thomas testified he is close with McMichael's parents and still checks in on his mom, Leigh McMichael.

"Is it fair to say you love the man, but hate the words he used?" McMichael's attorney Amy Copeland asked.

"Yes, ma'am," he testified.

Racist messages


Prosecutors focused on social media posts in the Satilla Shores Homeowners Facebook group, which referenced burglaries in the neighborhood, efforts to privatize their streets, and included Travis McMichael's response to those posts.

In one post, Travis McMichael encourages residents to "arm up" under one post warning about burglaries in the community. Evidence also showed Travis McMichael frequently criticized Black people who committed crimes, often referring to them as savages, monkeys, or other slurs. Gregory McMichael posted memes about vigilantism on his personal Facebook page.

In an Instagram video, Travis McMichael is posed with a gun next to a "no trespassing" sign and toward the end knocks the sign over and walks into the distance. In another, Gregory McMichael is heard telling Travis that an area behind their home wasn't technically private.


None of the social media posts or text messages presented in court referenced Arbery.

Larry English's home

Also on Thursday, Jurors heard Brunswick homeowner Larry English's full deposition in which he detailed alleged thefts on his property, specifically from a boat attached to a dock on his house.

TM's assumption that a black person stole his gun is interesting.

Right after murdering Arbery, TM, GM, and WRB provided written statements about the chase and murder of Arbery. The first sentence TM's statement was ... interesting.

From the GA state trial. Please see video 2.
(I doubt that my transcript 100% correct, but it should be close.)

Prosecutor: Then why, in your written statement two hours after the homicide do you write down, the very first sentence:

"On Jan 1st of 2020 approximately between 9 and 10:30 I had my vehicle broken into and my Smith and Wesson gun taken out of my truck."

TM: Because I was aware of things, of, of burglaries and vehicles being broken into in the neighborhood and then on top of seeing what I seen on the 11th that there are things being broken into and I was under concern that Mr. Arbery could be a suspect in all this or he could not be.

2 hours after murdering Arbery, TM gave a written statement to police about everything that had just happened. The first sentence of his statement was about the theft of his weapon 2 weeks prior.

Why?

Because he already "knew" who stole his weapon. He didn't need any evidence about who stole the gun. His racist ass already assumed the thief was black. He then sees a black man jogging. Ta da! The thief (called "suspect" during testimony) is found!

[LM K]

I mean, as I understand it, William Bryan's defense right now is "Well, if I see two men chasing one man down a road, I assume they are chasing the man for a good reason and skin color doesn't enter into it."

So now I'm waiting for the hypothetical "So if two African-American men were chasing a Caucasian man down the street, you'd assume that it was the white man who was the perpetrator and the black men who were making a righteous attempt at a citizen's arrest? I just want to be sure about this."

Anyone else? Or am I alone on this one?

That has been WRB's defense in both trials.

WRB is just a good Samaritan!

[LM K]

Hate crimes trial: jurors see graphic images of Ahmaud Arbery’s wounds

U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood said Thursday that one of the jurors approached a marshal and asked if there were federal funds available for counseling, if needed, and was told there are.

[LM K]

Ahmaud Arbery case: Racist posts introduced at hate crimes trial

On March 16, 2019, almost a year before Arbery’s death, McMichael exchanged texts with someone identified only as H.B., who texted that he went bar-hopping the previous evening but complained he had encountered too many Black people.

“They ruin everything,” McMichael responded, according to Vaughan. “That’s why I love what I do. Not a (n-word) in sight.”

On Jan. 21, 2019, McMichael and a friend identified as N.J. were about to meet at a Cracker Barrel when N.J. texted he had parked and saw a number of Black people there, said Vaughan.

“Need to change the name from Cracker Barrel to (N-word) Bucket,” McMichael replied.

Other messages sent on Feb. 11, 2019 included a conversation between McMichael and a friend that included a photo of a man who appeared to be disabled. The man was wearing a jersey that read, “At least I’m not a (n-word).”


On MLK Day in 2019, Bryan responded, “I’m working so all the (n-words) can take the day off,” according to messages shown to jurors. The following year, Bryan messaged P.T. about the “monkey parade over there” on Gloucester Street, one of the routes for the MLK Day parade in downtown Brunswick, Vaughan said.


Another of McMichael’s posts seemed to celebrate violence against Black Lives Matter protesters. In others, he advocated harming Black people seen breaking the law in news reports and viral videos.

“These thugs need to be taught a lesson,” he wrote. “I would beat those monkeys to death.”

[LM K]

[W. Kevin Vicklund]

Okay, I admit it, I sometimes call Cracker Barrel "Honky Bucket"

[RVInit]

Okay, I admit it, I sometimes call Cracker Barrel "Honky Bucket"

[RVInit]

LM K, thank you so much for following this trial, I'm reading all of your posts. These men are vile.

I hope they are convicted, and I really want them to have to serve their sentences in state prison. I'm not sure what the rules are about if they are convicted in a state court and then also in a federal court. I think one of the reasons the McMichaels wanted to take a plea deal was because they were making the deal primarily to serve their sentences in a more comfortable federal prison. I hope that doesn't happen.

[LM K]

[LM K]

LM K, thank you so much for following this trial, I'm reading all of your posts. These men are vile.

I hope they are convicted, and I really want them to have to serve their sentences in state prison. I'm not sure what the rules are about if they are convicted in a state court and then also in a federal court. I think one of the reasons the McMichaels wanted to take a plea deal was because they were making the deal primarily to serve their sentences in a more comfortable federal prison. I hope that doesn't happen.

All Three will serve their state sentence first, in a GA state prison. TM and GM were given life w/o the possiblity of parole, so they will remain in a GA state prison until they die.

WRB was given life with the possibility of parole after 30 years. If found guilty in his federal trial, he'll spend 30 years + in a GA state prison and transfer to a federal prison after parole.

WRB will be at least 78 before he is paroled for his state sentence. I doubt he'll live until 78.

[RVInit]

Thanks for the explanation. You are probably right about WRB probably not living to age 78. I think his normal life expectancy outside of prison would be not a whole lot more than 78, if that. But inside, has got to be at least a little less.

[Foggy]

This is your irregularly posted reminder, just for clarification, that there are many William Bryans in this great land of ours, and that ain't me.

The famous one is Bill "Beaker" Bryan,, my hero (after he's dead and gone, OJ taught me about premature assessments of heroism).

Imagine a fully grown racist asshole who somehow obtained the glorious name of William Bryan, and he decided he was better off calling himself "Roddie".

And that was BEFORE he decided to join in on a racist murder.

[LM K]

This is your irregularly posted reminder, just for clarification, that there are many William Bryans in this great land of ours, and that ain't me.

The famous one is Bill "Beaker" Bryan,, my hero (after he's dead and gone, OJ taught me about premature assessments of heroism).

Imagine a fully grown racist asshole who somehow obtained the glorious name of William Bryan, and he decided he was better off calling himself "Roddie".

And that was BEFORE he decided to join in on a racist murder.

That's why I made super duper sure to include the "R" when using abbreviations in this case. (William "Roddie" Bryan)

[RTH10260]

Check his ID - if the photo shows a guy with a red commie hat, yes it's the real one

[LM K]

I have no idea how the three defense lawyers can possibly try to counter the Prosecuion's case against their clients. The Prosecuion's evidence is powerful, esp against TM. There's less evidence for GM because he encrypted his phone very well. Why does a middle-class retired guy need to encrypt his phone well enough to keep the FBI from seeing everything? The FBI!

The evidence presented yesterday against WRB is damning. His case just became much more difficult to overcome.

[filly]

Are these different defense lawyers than in the State criminal case?

[LM K]

TM shot 3 bullets, hitting Arbery twice.