Arbery’s mother says ‘he didn’t lose his life in vain’

Ahmaud Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said her son didn’t “lose his life in vain” after the three men who killed her son were convicted of murder. 

In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Cooper-Jones said she wants people to remember Arbery “as change.”

“He’s brought about the hate crime law in Georgia. He’s caused that citizen’s arrest law to be repealed,” Cooper-Jones said. “Ahmaud lost his life, but he didn’t lose his life in vain. He’s implemented change already.”

Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan were all found guilty of murder by a mostly white jury on Wednesday for the death of Arbery.

Arbery was killed while he was jogging in Glynn County, Georgia. The three men followed Arbery because they thought he was behind multiple home break-ins, and Travis McMichael claimed he acted in self-defense when he shot him. 

However, Travis McMichael admitted in court he did not feel threatened by Arbery, nor did Arbery have a weapon. 

“This is the second Thanksgiving my family and I will share without Ahmaud, but this is the first Thanksgiving that we can look at that empty chair and say we finally got justice for you Ahmaud,” Cooper-Jones said.

Arbery’s father said after the conviction that the people needed to keep fighting for justice in the United States. 

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