Judge rejects McMichaels’ plea deal for federal hate crimes against Arbery

It’s called “hard time” for a reason!

Source: Pool / Getty

Yesterday, BOSSIP reported that Gregory and Travis McMichael had reached a plea deal to get cushier conditions under which they could serve their life sentences for the hate crime murder of Ahmaud Arbery. Obviously, the family was incensed by this news that the murderers would be given any modicum of leniency after violently refusing Ahmaud the same.

Today, we are happy to report that U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood has rejected that plea deal. According to an ABCNews report, Ahmaud’s family, both parents and two aunts, gave a scathing emotional testimony about why this agreement is dead a** wrong. The words of Ahmaud’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, rang the loudest.

“All they would have to do is stand up and say that they were motivated by hate and then this court will concede to their preferred conditions of confinement,” Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, told the judge. “I do not need to hear them say they were motivated by hate. That does me no good. It does my family no good.”

She continued:

She added, “It is not fair to take away this victory that I prayed and I fought for. It is not right. It is not just. It is wrong. Please listen to me. Granting these men their preferred conditions of confinement would defeat me. It gives them one last chance to spit in my face after murdering my son.”

That hurt. The idea that the McMichaels and William Bryan would be allowed to preserve in some way after shedding innocent blood in the streets is disgusting, offensive, and disrespectful beyond words. The prosecutors who entertained this bulls**t should be held publically accountable for participating in such a disgraceful charade or justice. If they’ll offer THESE GUYS a deal then who else are letting off the hook for unimaginable crimes???

“We respect the court’s decision to not accept the sentencing terms of the proposed plea and to continue the hearing until Friday,” Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a statement. “The Justice Department takes seriously its obligation to confer with the Arbery family and their lawyers both pursuant to the Crime Victim Rights Act and out of respect for the victim.”

Sure, Kristen.

Drop a library on these bastards.