(CSU) — SAVANNAH, GA. According to a late Thursday judicial filing, the man who started the fatal pursuit that led to Ahmaud Arbery’s death has changed his mind and opted to plead not guilty to a federal hate crime in the unarmed Black man’s killing in 2020.
Greg McMichael’s decision came only days after a judge in the United States District Court rejected the conditions of a plea deal he and his son, Travis McMichael, had arranged with prosecutors. The agreement was vehemently rejected by Arbery’s parents. In a joint legal notice filed with prosecutors, McMichael’s defense counsel said that McMichael now wants to face trial for the second time in connection with Arbery’s death.
A Georgia state court convicted the McMichaels and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, guilty of murder in November and sentenced them to life in prison. Separately, the three white men were accused in a US District Court of violating Arbery’s civil rights and discriminating against him due to his race.
On Feb. 23, 2020, the McMichaels armed themselves and pursued Arbery, a 25-year-old man who was fleeing past their home just outside of Brunswick’s harbor city. Bryan joined the chase in his own pickup and recorded Travis McMichael shooting Arbery with a shotgun on his iPhone.
Travis McMichael was scheduled to have a plea hearing on Friday morning to determine whether or not he would enter a guilty plea in the federal case. On Monday, the jury selection procedure, in that case, will begin.
Both men were scheduled to enter guilty pleas to a hate crime charge earlier this week after prosecutors and defense counsel agreed to a 30-year sentence that included a request that the McMichaels be transferred from Georgia’s state prison system to federal custody. Under the terms of the agreement, the McMichaels would have had to admit to racist reasons and give up their ability to appeal their federal sentence.
After Arbery’s parents objected, U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood rejected the idea on Monday, noting that Arbery’s conditions would be less difficult in federal prison. Wood stated she eventually rejected the deal since it would have resulted in a preset jail sentence for her.
The boys were told by the judge that pleading guilty does not guarantee a good sentence.
Despite the protestations of Arbery’s family, prosecutors asked the court to accept the plea deals. According to prosecutor Tara Lyons, attorneys for Arbery’s parents informed the US Justice Department that the family would not object to the plea agreements.
According to Lee Merritt, an attorney representing Arbery’s mother, the murdered man’s family had previously rejected the same requirements and “no longer wanted to engage” prosecutors. Merritt said prosecutors “used it as a deferral.”
Defense attorneys contended that the McMichaels were justified in following Arbery because they had a reasonable suspicion that he had committed crimes in their area during the murder trial in state court. When Arbery slammed his fists into it, Travis McMichael discharged his shotgun.
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