Ahmaud Arbery pursuer seeks leniency in hate crimes sentence

By RUSS BYNUM
Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The man who initiated the neighborhood chase that resulted in the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery is asking a federal judge to show leniency when he’s sentenced for a federal hate crime conviction. Greg McMichael’s defense attorney says his client should be spared a life sentence, though he has already been sentenced to life without parole on a separate murder conviction. He also asks that McMichael be transferred to a federal prison, allowing him to bypass serving time in a Georgia state prison. McMichael, his adult son and their neighbor are all scheduled for sentencing Monday. Arbery’s family has opposed letting the men go straight to federal prison, saying time served in state prison would be tougher.