Ahmaud Arbery’s Mother Calls out the DOJ for Attempting a Plea Deal with His Murderers

EXCERPT:

COOPER-JONES: "I now want to address the members of the DoJ. I’m very thankful that you guys brought these charges of hate crime. But back on January 31st, you guys accepted a plea deal with these three murderers who took my son’s life. Marcus and two of my ma's aunties stood before the court and begged the judge not to take a plea deal that the DoJ — that the DoJ went before the judge and asked them to take a plea deal with these guys. Attorney Ben Crump just called these women — just called her name, Kristen Clarke. As I traveled to Brunswick on that Sunday afternoon, I spoke to Kristen Clarke and the lead attorney Tara Lyons, begging them to please not take this plea deal. They ignored my cry. I begged them. Even after the family stood before the judge and asked him, asked the judge to not take this plea deal, the lead prosecutor, Tara Lyons, stood up and asked the judge to ignore the family's cry. That's not justice for Ahmaud. What we got today we wouldn't have gotten today if it wasn’t for the fight that the family put up on January 31st.”