Cobb County District Attorney Flynn Broady, whose office conducted the prosecution, issued the following statement on the murder convictions reached against Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William R. Bryan for the Feb. 23, 2020, killing of Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY FLYNN D. BROADY, JR.
The jury representing the Glynn County community made a clear statement in finding the three men guilty of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. That statement reflects a new direction for our communities, this State, and the nation, to denounce hate, division and intolerance and promote unity. This case has garnered national attention, recalling attention to a past, this nation yearns to forget. It is important that we never forget. That we look at our past and map a new way forward. That we understand our prior shortcomings and work to the goal enumerated in our founding documents, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and may we add Justice. In order to do that it takes strength and courage, to demand the rights entitled to us by our Constitution and laws.
The courage demonstrated by Wanda Cooper Jones is an inspiration to us all. She demanded accountability for the death of her son, Ahmaud. She placed her faith in God and our criminal justice system that this day would come. I applaud her and Ahmaud’s father, Marcus. Their work has been more than a step towards justice for communities of color. Governor Kemp and the Georgia Legislature amended Georgia’s antiquated Citizen’s Arrest Statute and for the first time enacted a Hate Crime Statute here in Georgia, all due to advocacy for justice for Ahmaud.
The citizens of this state and this nation stood with Wanda and Marcus and their family. We, the Cobb District Attorney’s Office, stood with them. We were determined that each of the defendants were given a fair trial and I believe we did that. Our team of lead prosecutor Senior ADA Linda Dunikoski, Senior ADA Paul Camarillo, ADA Larissa Ollivierre and a host of others from our office worked tirelessly to ensure justice for this family. We held firm to the belief that our criminal justice system works. When you remove the hate, the intolerance and divisiveness and focus on truth, integrity, and unity that justice will prevail.
