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Awaiting decisionGeorgia v. McMichael, McMichael & Bryan (new-trial motion)
Will the Arbery defendants' bid for a new state trial be denied?
Where the case stands
Motions for new trial were argued before Judge Walmsley on Oct. 24, 2024, including a juror-bias claim aimed at the sole Black juror and sufficiency challenges. No ruling has been publicly reported as of Sept. 7, 2026.
Background
The three men convicted in November 2021 of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, who was chased and shot while jogging near Brunswick, Georgia in February 2020. All three are serving life sentences; the McMichaels without parole. They were separately convicted of federal hate crimes.
Charges
- Convicted Nov. 24, 2021: malice/felony murder and related counts (all three defendants); life sentences imposed Jan. 2022
The arguments
Prosecution/State: The three men chased down an unarmed Black jogger in pickup trucks and killed him with no legal justification; citizen's-arrest and self-defense claims were rejected by the jury.
Defense: On the new-trial motions: alleged bias of a seated juror, claimed insufficiency of the evidence against Bryan in particular, and other trial-error claims.
The record
- Trial video. The entire 2021 trial, verdict, and the Oct. 2024 new-trial hearing were televised and are archived on YouTube.
- Shooting video. The cellphone video of the shooting, filmed by defendant Bryan, was the case's central exhibit and is public.
The line-setting read at the time this market opened
New-trial motions before the trial judge are rarely granted, and this judge presided over a verdict later reinforced by federal hate-crime convictions; denial is heavily favored. Main uncertainty is timing, not outcome.
Awaiting decision — Judge Walmsley's ruling on the new-trial motions — deny, or grant any defendant a new trial. The ruling is posted here, and on the board, the moment it's confirmed by two or more independent news organizations.
Sources
- CNN — new trial request argued
- Court TV — new-trial hearing coverage
- ABC News — new-trial motion coverage
- The Hill — motion for new trial
Public record
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