Testimony in hate crimes trial reveals scathing racist comments

Feb. 17—Editor's Note: This story contains profanity. The News has redacted the full spellings of certain words our readers may find offensive.

Evidence presented by prosecutors on Wednesday showcased a litany of racist rants by the defendants in the federal hate crimes trial, comments that demonstrated contempt, vilification and hatred of African Americans.

Evidence presented during the second day of testimony included social media posts and cellphone text messages that included frequent use of the N-word by defendants Travis McMichael, 36, and William "Roddie" Bryan, 52, over a span of several years.

While 66-year-old defendant Greg McMichael's social media presence was less detectable and access to his phone messages was limited by investigators, the prosecution presented several examples of the elder McMichael's expressions of disdain for Blacks.

Already convicted in state court of murder in the killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, who was Black, the three men are now standing trial in U.S. District court on charges that allege racist motives on their part led to Arbery's death. All three defendants are White.

Travis McMichael, the man who shot and killed the unarmed Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020, displayed an apparent obsession with racist thoughts, evidence indicated. So common were racists comments by Travis McMichael that he often used an acronym coined to denigrate Blacks: DAS, or Dumb Ass N-word, according to testimony.

On several instances presented as evidence Wednesday, the younger McMichael referred to African Americans as "savages" and expressed a desire to kill a Black person.

"I'd kill that f----n' (N-word)," Travis McMichael posted in a Facebook private message, responding to a video of a Black man playing a benign prank on a White man.

Watching a Facebook video that showed several Black youth in an outdoor fight with a single White youth, Travis McMichael suggested shooting the African Americans with a Taurus .38 handgun or a Saiga semiautomatic rifle.

"Mr. Taurus .38 says five of them are taking a dirt nap," Travis McMichael posted, referring to the Black youth. "Saiga would have done better," he added, referring to the semiautomatic rifle.

The McMichaels and Bryan are charged in federal court with attempted kidnapping and interfering with Arbery's right to use a public street because he was Black. The McMichaels additionally are charged with brandishing a firearm in a violent crime. Travis McMichael also is charged with discharging a firearm in a violent crime.

Travis McMichael shot Arbery twice at close range with a 12-gauge shotgun on Holmes Road near Satilla Drive — ending a chase of about five minutes in which the McMichaels relentlessly pursued Arbery in a pickup truck as Arbery ran through the streets of the Satilla Shores neighborhood. Bryan joined the McMichaels in his pickup truck in chasing Arbery after seeing him run past his home on Burford Road with the McMichaels in pursuit.

Bryan recorded the chase's deadly conclusion with his cellphone.

A jury convicted all three of murder on Nov. 24, 2021, ending a highly publicized six-week trial at the Glynn County Courthouse. The father-and-son McMichaels and Bryan all were sentenced to life in prison on Jan. 7.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed the federal hate crimes charges against the three men in April 2021.

Before testimony regarding racial slurs began, U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood warned that some in the courtroom gallery would likely find some words and expressions "morally repugnant."

Bryan referred to Blacks derogatorily as "boot lips," according to testimony. He also had a running gag with friends for several years in which he was the "grand marshal" of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, according to testimony.

"I think the joke is he wouldn't do that because he doesn't care for Black people or Martin Luther King Day," testified FBI agent Amy Vaughan, who oversaw the digital and electronic communications aspect of the federal investigation.

On WhatsApp Messenger, Bryan texted to a friend on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2020. The friend had just referred derisively to Bryan as the national holiday's "grand marshall."

"I bet y'all are truly having a monkey day over there," Bryan messaged his friend back.

Bryan's social media posts and cellphone texts also displayed an inclination to suspect Blacks of committing crimes, Vaughan said. When a person on a Facebook police scanner page noted gratitude for the arrest of a person who stole his motorcycle, Bryan suggested without grounds that it was a Black person who took it.

"What kind of fine upstanding citizen was it?" Bryan posted. "My money's still on Boot Lip."

Vaughan said the elder McMichael posted sparingly on Facebook, adding that FBI investigators could not fully access his cellphone because of its encryption. But agents did locate social media posts in which he appeared to deride Blacks for protesting the legacy of slavery. He also made comments suggesting all African Americans receive excessive government assistance, Vaughan said.

Other Facebook posts appeared to support vigilantism over calling police. One post included a photo of a man holding a gun with the words: "A gun in the hand is worth more than the entire police force on the phone."

When a man in Florida posted on Facebook seeking the return of his stolen surfboard, Greg McMichael replied suggesting dire consequences if the suspect were caught here.

"We still hang horse and (surf) board thieves up here," Greg McMichael posted.

The McMichaels did not call police before arming themselves and chasing Arbery. Travis McMichael finally called 911 and handed the cellphone to his father in the bed of the stopped pickup truck moments before he shot Arbery.

Responding to a video on Facebook that showed a Black couple attacking a White mother and daughter at a restaurant, Travis McMichael expressed his anger to a friend in a private message.

"I would have the same remorse putting them down as a rabid coon," McMichael posted.

Amy Copeland, Travis McMichael's court-appointed defense attorney, asked that it be put in context for the jury that McMicheal was reacting to apparent acts of violence by Blacks as depicted in the videos. In one video, the Black woman recording it repeatedly calls for someone to intervene. In the other video, a Black person comes to the aid of the White mother and daughter after they are attacked by the couple.

Attorney Christopher Perras of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division asked Vaughan whether McMichael made social media comments on the Black people who came to the aid of the White people in the two videos.

"No," Vaughan said.

The trial resumes at 9 a.m Thursday.