[ad_1]
One of the Georgia men convicted in state court of killing black jogger Ahmaud Arbery withdrew his guilty plea to federal hate crime charges in the case on Thursday, a report said.
Gregory McMichael, 66, made the move after a federal judge on Monday rejected the terms to a plea deal he and his convicted killer son, Travis McMichael, 35, had cut with prosecutors, WSAV reported.
The father will now stand trial in the federal case and jury selection is expected to begin Monday, the report said.
The McMichaels were hit with life sentences earlier this month for chasing down and killing Arbery, 25, on Feb. 23, 2020.
The nixed plea agreement would have allowed the two to serve their federal time for Arbery’s slaying in a safer, less crowded prison, WTSB-TV had reported.
A third man, William “Roddie” Bryan, 52, was also convicted in state court for his role in Arbery’s murder, and also faces life but can apply for parole after 30 years.
The three men were convicted of using their pickup trucks to chase down and trap Arbery as he jogged through their neighborhood.
When Arbery stopped, Travis McMichael got out with a shotgun, got into a scuffle with the jogger, and shot him dead.
[ad_2]