A Georgia judge denied bond Friday for the men who were charged for the fatal February shooting of Ahmaud Arbery.
Travis and Gregory McMichael have been in jail since they were charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment in May, according to ABC News. (RELATED: Man Charged With Fatally Shooting Ahmaud Arbery Reportedly Uttered Racial Epithet After Killing)
During their hearing, Judge Timothy Walmsley expressed concern about releasing the two from custody. “The video tells me there’s a significant risk and danger to the community,” he said, referring to a cell phone video of the event, according to ABC News.
Prosecutors argued that the men acted as vigilantes and they were motivated by racism, while the defense attorneys for the McMichaels claimed there were no racist motives. They also assured the judge that the two would not be flight risks or pose any threat to the community, ABC News reported. (RELATED: Two 911 Calls Were Made Moments Before Shooting Death Of Ahmaud Arbery)
Sachal Tate holds a sign with the names of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Manuel Ellis, black Americans who have died in police custody, as protesters gather following the death of Manuel Ellis in Tacoma police custody in March, and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Tacoma, Washington, U.S. June 5, 2020. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
THREAD: Every.single.time. The excuses pour in – “he looked suspicious”… “we thought he was committing a crime”…The fact remains, #AhmaudArbery was hunted down from a pickup truck and murdered in cold blood. My heart breaks for his family, and justice must be served.
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) May 7, 2020
Arbery was shot by the pair in February, and the event gained national media coverage. His death sparked protests in the surrounding area and garnered attention from prominent politicians like South Carolina’s Tim Scott and President Donald Trump.