Ahmaud Arbery’s mother on guilty verdict: ‘He will now rest in peace’

Ahmaud Arbery’s mother said “God is good” and his supporters chanted “The spirit of Ahmaud defeated the lynch mob” amid celebrations of the guilty verdict against all three defendants in his murder case on Wednesday outside the Brunswick, Ga., courthouse. 

Speaking at a press conference, Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said, “I never thought this day would come, but God is good.”

“Thank you for those who marched, those who prayed, most of us all the ones who prayed … Now Quez — which you know him as Ahmaud, I knew him as Quez, he will now rest in peace,” Cooper-Jones said.

A jury on Wednesday found Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan all guilty of murder.

Arbery’s father, Marcus Arbery, called for continued action against injustice, telling the crowd that his son’s death and others like it are “all our problem.”

“Let’s keep fighting, let’s keep going and making this place a better place for all human beings,” said Arbery.

On this #Thanksgiving holiday, I want you to look at your table and think about the empty seat at Wanda Cooper and Marcus Arbery’s tables, then really ask if there’s a reason that seat should be empty. Remember the Arbery family and so many others like them this holiday season pic.twitter.com/Ufk6TUw6Ti

— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) November 24, 2021

Leading civil rights attorney Ben Crump upheld the verdict as a victory for justice in the U.S.

“Every parent in America can take solace in knowing that we have an example of how to deal with tragedy and grief when they look at the example of Marcus Arbery and Wanda Cooper and we should applaud them,” he said. “We did this together. We said, ‘America, we will make us better than what we saw in that video.’ “

Crump noted the bittersweet nature of the verdict, pointing to how Arbery’s family is still mourning him despite receiving their desired verdict against his murderers.

“So even though this is not a celebration, it is a reflection to acknowledge that the spirit of Ahmaud defeated the lynch mob,” said Crump.

Crump briefly led the crowd in chanting, “The spirit of Ahmaud defeated the lynch mob.”

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton commended Arbery’s parents for their strength during the trial.

“Tomorrow, for all our joy today, there will be an empty chair at Wanda’s table. Ahmaud will not be at Thanksgiving tomorrow, but she can look at that chair and say to Ahmaud, ‘I fought a good fight and I got you some justice,’ ” Sharpton said.

“We can’t fill that chair for you, Wanda, but we can say that you are a mother of all mothers. You fought for your son and Marcus, you fought for your son,” he added. “Even though it’ll be a somber, a sober and solemn Thanksgiving, you can thank God you didn’t let your boy down.”