Page 27 - bon-dia-aruba-20220809

A27
u.s. news Diamars 9 augustus 2022

Man who recorded Arbery killing gets 35 years in hate case

(AP) — The man who re- The McMichaels told police
corded cellphone video of they suspected Arbery was a
Ahmaud Arbery’s killing burglar. Investigators deter-
was sentenced Monday mined he was unarmed and
to 35 years in prison after had committed no crimes.
his role in the fatal chase
was deemed a federal hate The white father and son
crime. convicted of murder in Ah-
maud Arbery’s fatal shooting
A judge sentenced William after they chased the 25-year-
“Roddie” Bryan, 52, in U.S. old Black man through a
District Court nearly six Georgia neighborhood were
months after a jury convicted sentenced Monday to life in
Bryan and two other white prison for committing a fed-
men of violating Arbery’s eral hate crime.
civil rights, concluding the
trio targeted Arbery because U.S. District Court Judge
he was Black. Bryan was also Lisa Godbey Wood handed
convicted of attempted kid- down the sentences against bery’s murder and had asked ings, Arbery’s mother, Wanda
napping. Travis McMichael, 36, and the judge to divert them to a Cooper-Jones, said that every Greg McMichael’s attorney,
his father, Greg McMichael, federal prison to serve their day she feels every shot fired A.J. Balbo, also cited the
Bryan was previously sen- 66, reiterating the gravity sentences, saying they were at her son. Chauvin sentence as well as
tenced in a Georgia state of the killing that shattered worried about their safety in his client’s age and health
court to life with a possibility their Brunswick community the state prison system. Wood “It’s so unfair, so unfair, so problems, which he said in-
of parole for Arbery’s mur- and became part of a larger declined their request. unfair that he was killed clude a stroke and depres-
der. national reckoning over racial while he was not even com- sion.
injustice. In February, a federal jury mitting a crime,” she said.
Father and son Greg and convicted the McMichaels “The evidence we present-
Travis McMichael armed “A young man is dead. Ah- and neighbor William “Rod- Greg McMichael addressed ed at trial proved ... what so
themselves with guns chased maud Arbery will be forever die” Bryan of violating Ar- the Arbery family, saying many people felt in their
25-year-old Arbery after he 25. And what happened a bery’s civil rights, concluding their loss was “beyond de- hearts when they watched
ran past their home on Feb. jury found happened because they targeted him because of scription.” the video of Ahmaud’s tragic
23, 2020. Bryan joined the he’s Black,” Wood said. his race. All three were also and unnecessary death: This
pursuit and recorded cell- found guilty of attempted “I’m sure my words mean would have never happened
phone video of McMichael Both men were previously kidnapping, and the McMi- very little to you but I want if he had been white,” Chris-
blasting Arbery with a shot- sentenced to life without chaels were convicted of us- to assure you I never wanted topher Perras, another pros-
gun. parole in state court for Ar- ing guns in the commission any of this to happen,” he ecutor, said Monday.
of a violent crime. said. “There was no malice
in my heart or my son’s heart During the February hate
The McMichaels armed that day.” crimes trial, prosecutors for-
themselves with guns and tified their case that Arbery’s
used a pickup truck to chase Travis McMichael declined killing was motivated by
Arbery after he ran past their to address the court, but his racism by showing the jury
home on Feb. 23, 2020. Bryan attorney, Amy Lee Copeland, roughly two dozen text mes-
joined the pursuit in his own said a lighter sentence would sages and social media posts
truck and recorded cellphone be more consistent with what in which Travis McMichael
video of Travis McMichael similarly charged defendants and Bryan used racist slurs
shooting Arbery with a shot- have received in other cases, and made disparaging com-
gun. The McMichaels told noting that the officer who ments about Black people.
police they suspected Arbery killed George Floyd in Min-
was a burglar, but investiga- neapolis, Derek Chauvin, A state Superior Court judge
tors determined he was un- got 21 years in prison for imposed life sentences for
armed and had committed violating Floyd’s civil rights, the McMichaels and Bryan
no crimes. though he was not charged in January for Arbery’s mur-
with targeting Floyd because der, with both McMichaels
Before the Monday sentenc- of his race. denied any chance of parole.

Ex-Ohio court mediator arrested; allegedly sent feces to GOP

(AP) — An Ohio man ing certain things, including California and Ohio. ployee that Steinle might be John Fortney called the in-
is in custody after be- hazardous material, accord- involved in sending the let- cident in early July “outra-
ing accused of sending ing to court records. Mailroom employees in the ters. Investigators witnessed geous” and a serious health
about three-dozen feces- Ohio Statehouse and post Steinle mailing a letter while risk.
filled letters to lawmak- The misdemeanor charge offices in Cleveland and Ak- wearing a glove and after
ers around the country, carries a maximum prison ron intercepted the 25 letters, retrieving the letter, deter- “This type of biohazard at-
including Ohio’s 25 Re- sentence of one year and a which never made it to their mined it to be contaminated tack doesn’t just stop with the
publican state senators in $100,000 fine. A message intended recipients. The re- with feces. The letter was ad- people it’s directed towards,”
early July. seeking comment was left turn addresses on the letters dressed to Republican U.S. Fortney said. “This is some-
with Steinle’s lawyer. were deemed fake. Some let- Rep. Jim Jordan, according to thing that could potentially
Police arrested Richard ters contained words such as court records. affect every single employee
Steinle, a 77-year-old from The feces mailed in early July “pig” and “racist” on them, at the Ohio Statehouse, re-
Mogadore, Ohio, and former prompted an investigation by according to court records. A message was left with the gardless of their political af-
Portage County Common the U.S. Postal Inspection U.S. Postal Inspection Ser- filiation.”
Pleas Court mediator on Fri- Service, but investigators In late July, investigators for vice seeking comment. It is
day. Steinle is charged with said Steinle has been send- the U.S. Postal Inspection not clear if the feces were hu- Steinle was released on a
sending “injurious articles as ing such letters since August service conducted surveil- man or animal. $20,000 unsecured bond and
nonmailable,” violating a fed- 2021 to elected officials in lance on Steinle’s home after his next hearing is set for
eral law that prohibits mail- Washington D.C., Kentucky, a tip from another court em- Senate GOP spokesperson Aug. 25.