GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — On Wednesday, a jury in Glynn County, Ga. found all three defendants guilty on at least some of the murder charges against them in the Feb. 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery.
Travis McMichael, who shot Ahmaud Arbery, was convicted of all charges. His father Greg McMichael was found not guilty of malice murder, but guilty of four counts of felony murder and four additional felony counts.
William "Roddie" Bryan was found not guilty of malice murder, one felony murder count and one felony aggravated assault count and convicted of three felony murder counts and three additional felony counts.
Now that the three men have been convicted of murder, they must have a sentencing hearing.
One thing to keep in mind is that in Georgia the minimum sentence for both malice murder and felony murder is life in prison. So it stands that with all three defendants convicted, at the least, of multiple felony murder charges, they will all be given multiple life sentences.
When will sentencing happen?
That said, it won't be official until the sentencing hearing. Judge Timothy Walmsley said after the verdict was read that he would like to arrange for that "in the next couple weeks.
The judge said that would "give everybody an opportunity to put together whatever evidence may be shown in aggravation from the state or mitigation from the defense."
The judge said that because in a sentencing hearing, attorneys may present additional evidence and call other witnesses (usually character witnesses) to argue why a person should spend more or less time in jail.
"Alright it is this court's usual practice with regard to sentencing to go ahead and give everybody some time to put together what they need to put together for a full sentencing hearing," Judge Walmsley said.
He said he would "get back to everybody about some dates and see what works."
The judge added he needed to check his schedule in neighboring Chatham County (Walmsley is a Chatham County judge but was assigned specially to this Glynn County case) and compare it with what is available in Glynn County.