Photo Courtesy of 11 Alive
GoFundMe has stopped a fundraiser created for William “Roddie” Bryan, one of three men who was found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery.
A spokesperson for the fundraising site told the Savannah Morning News that the company took down Bryan’s donation account, which had a set goal of $300,000. The fundraiser had raised $700 at the time it was closed.
According to Revolt, the funds were allegedly going to be used to cover legal costs for Bryan’s appeal process. However, Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, shared the GoFundMe on his Facebook page and said that the funds were not for his client.
GoFundMe removed the donation page under the guise that raising money for the legal defense of a violent crime violates its terms of service.
The outlet reported that defense attorneys representing two of the suspects claimed that they plan to appeal the men’s murder convictions.
“We believe the appellate courts will reverse this conviction,” Gough said.
Jason Sheffield and Bob Rubin, Travis’ attorneys, said they are currently working on how to appeal his conviction.
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“I can tell you honestly, these men are sorry for what happened to Ahmaud Arbery,” Sheffield said. “They are sorry that he is dead; they are sorry for the tragedy that happened because of the choices that they made to go out there and try to stop him.”
As previously reported, Travis and Gregory McMichael, along with Bryan, were all found guilty on multiple charges in connection with the murder of Arbery, who was shot as he jogged through a Georgia neighborhood last year.
Bryan was charged with three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony.
Gregory was found guilty of four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and a criminal attempt to commit a felony.
Travis was convicted of one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment, and one count of criminal attempt to commit a felony.
A sentencing trial date is yet to be set, but the three men are currently facing the maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.