Ahmaud Arbery's Killers Appeal Hate Crime Convictions

Defense argues past racist comments do not prove intent to harm in federal appeals court.

Attorneys for the three white men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery have asked a U.S. appeals court to overturn their hate crime convictions, arguing that past racist comments did not prove a racist intent to harm.
The defense raised legal technicalities, including the claim that prosecutors failed to prove the killing occurred on a public road.
Prosecutors countered that evidence of racist views informed the men's mistaken assumption that Arbery was a fleeing criminal.
All three men are currently serving life sentences in Georgia state prisons for murder, with additional federal convictions for hate crimes and attempted kidnapping.
The appeals court's decision could potentially overturn the federal convictions, but the men would remain in prison for their state murder convictions.