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u.s. news Diaranson 23 Februari 2022

Arbery killers convicted of federal hate crimes in his death

(AP) — The three white together in front of his face as bey Wood rejected the deal,
men convicted of murder if saying a silent prayer. however, saying it would tie
in Ahmaud Arbery’s fa- her hands at sentencing, and
tal shooting were found He and Ahmaud Arbery’s after Arbery’s family vehe-
guilty of federal hate mother, Wanda Cooper- mently opposed it.
crimes Tuesday for violat- Jones, emerged from the
ing Arbery’s civil rights courthouse holding hands “What we got today, we
and targeting him because with their attorney Ben wouldn’t have gotten if it
he was Black. Crump, then raised their wasn’t for the fight by the
clasped hands to cheers from family for Ahmaud,” Coo-
The jury also found father supporters. per-Jones said Tuesday, re-
and son Greg and Travis Mc- iterating her anger at Justice
Michael and neighbor Wil- “Ahmaud will continue to Department prosecutors,
liam “Roddie” Bryan guilty rest in peace. But he will now who she said “chose to ignore
of attempted kidnapping, and begin to rest in power,” Coo- the family’s cry.”
the McMichaels guilty of the per-Jones said. She added,
use of a firearm in the com- however: “We as a family will The facts of the case were A woman who served under ing, as well.”
mission of a violent crime. never get victory because Ah- not disputed during the hate Travis McMichael in the U.S.
maud is gone forever.” crimes trial. The McMichaels Coast Guard a decade ago U.S. Attorney General Mer-
The verdict — handed down grabbed guns and jumped in said he called her “n——r rick Garland said the verdict
one day before the second Marcus Arbery noted that a pickup truck to pursue Ar- lover,” after learning she’d “makes clear that the Justice
anniversary of Arbery’s death his son used to call every day, bery after seeing him run- dated a Black man. Another Department will continue to
on Feb. 23, 2020 — was a even if just to tell his family ning in their neighborhood woman testified Greg Mc- use every resource at its dis-
symbolic one, coming just that he loved them. outside the Georgia port city Michael had ranted angrily in posal to confront unlawful
months after all three de- of Brunswick. Bryan joined 2015 when she remarked on acts of hate and to hold ac-
fendants were convicted of “Ahmaud was a kid you can’t the pursuit in his own pickup the death of civil rights activ- countable those who perpe-
murder in a Georgia state replace, because of the heart and recorded the cellphone ist Julian Bond, saying, “All trate them.”
court and sentenced to life in he had,” he said. “I’m strug- video that later leaked online. those Blacks are nothing but
prison. gling with that every day,” he trouble.” Garland added that Ar-
said. “It hurts me every day.” To back the hate crime bery’s family and his friends
But family and community charges, prosecutors showed Crump remarked after the “should be preparing to cel-
members viewed the hate Greg and Travis McMichael roughly two dozen text mes- verdict that “for many of us, ebrate his 28th birthday, later
crimes trial as an important sat stoically at the defense ta- sages and social media posts there was never any doubt this spring, not mourning
statement that racism mo- ble as the guilty verdicts were in which Travis McMichael that Greg McMichael, Tra- the second anniversary of his
tivated the killing. The case read. When called one-at-a- and Bryan used racist slurs vis McMichael, and William death tomorrow.”
also became part of a larger time before the judge to dis- and made derogatory com- Bryan targeted Ahmaud be-
national reckoning on racial cuss next steps in their cases, ments about Black people. cause of his skin color.” “Ahmaud Arbery should be
injustice after graphic video they answered with hushed The FBI wasn’t able to access alive today,” he said.
of Arbery’s killing leaked on- voices. Greg McMichael’s phone be- “But because of indisputable
line. cause it was encrypted. video evidence, disgusting Defense attorneys contended
Weeks prior to the trial, the messages sent by the defen- the McMichaels and Bryan
Arbery’s father, Marcus Ar- McMichaels had both agreed In 2018, Travis McMichael dants, and witness testimony, didn’t chase and kill Arbery
bery Sr., bowed his head and to enter guilty pleas to the commented on a Facebook their hate was revealed to the because of his race but acted
shook his fists in quiet cel- hate crimes in exchange for video of a Black man playing world and the jury,” he said. on the earnest, though erro-
ebration as the guilty verdicts being able to serve their sen- a prank on a white person: “We hope and demand that neous, suspicion that Arbery
were read in the courtroom. tences in federal, rather than “I’d kill that f----ing n----r.” the severity of their crimes had committed crimes in
He then pressed his hands state prison. Judge Lisa God- are reflected in the sentenc- their neighborhood.

Trump’s social media app launches year after Twitter ban

(AP) — Former President fered for download from the signing on. The site is not top free app in the U.S. on election efforts.
Donald Trump’s social Apple App Store to a limited expected to be open to any- Monday morning, besting
media app that he hopes number of subscribers who one who wants to download the “Talking Ben the Dog” “After over A YEAR of muz-
will rival Twitter launched had preordered. Others who it until next month. children’s game, streaming zling by the Liberal Big
Monday as he seeks a new were added to a waiting list service HBO Max, TikTok, Tech Tyrants: TRUMP. IS.
digital stage to rally his are to be given access over the “Due to massive demand, we YouTube, Instagram and BACK,” wrote GOP House
supporters and fight Big next 10 days. have placed you on our wait- Facebook. Minority Leader Kevin Mc-
Tech limits on speech, a list,” read a message to some Carthy in a fundraising email
year after he was banned The site encountered tech- of those trying to access the The partial launch Mon- appeal Monday.
from Twitter, Facebook nical glitches shortly after platform, adding, “We love day follows an experimental
and YouTube. launch, with reports that you.” “beta” launch to test the plat- Groups like the Republican
subscribers were shut out for form last week. National Committee and the
His Truth Social app was of- hours. Others had trouble Trump is hoping Truth Social Congressional Leadership
will attract the millions who Trump was banned from top Fund also have been fund-
followed him on Twitter as social media platforms fol- raising off the launch.
he hints at a third presidential lowing the Jan. 6 Capitol riot
run, triggering a wave of oth- last year that critics accused “Our main goal here is to
er subscribers to justify the him of inciting. The ban give people their voice back,”
billions of dollars that inves- has raised difficult questions Trump Media CEO and for-
tors have bet on the venture. about free speech in a social mer GOP Congressman
Shares in a company that media industry dominated by Devin Nunes said Sunday
plans to buy Trump Media a few tech giants — an issue on Fox News. He added that
and Technology Group, the that Trump and conservative the app offers “the opposite
parent of Truth Social, have media have seized upon. of some Silicon Valley tech
soared in recent months. oligarch freak telling people
Republicans were quick to what they want to think and
According to Apple’s rank- use the launch of Truth So- deciding who can or cannot
ings, Truth Social was the cial to raise money for their be on the platform.”