Ahmaud Arbery Verdict: Basically All Defendants Guilty On All Charges

Seems wrong to me, but I wasn't paying close attention.

   The legal question largely seemed to turn on the question of the dependence or independence of the second crucial paragraph on the first, hence the instructions the judge gave the jury. I didn't know what to make of that, but I didn't think about it long enough. When I heard the judge talking through his interpretation, I wondered why there isn't some interpretive analog of the presumption of innocence--given what seems like a genuine indeterminacy in the law, it seemed to me that the more permissive (i.e.: favorable to the defense) interpretation should have been used. But, of course, I am NAL.

   Morally...well...Arbery was a dangerous criminal and he was clearly looking for stuff to burgle. He wasn't an innocent dude out for a run--pretending to be on a run was his known M.O. He tried to take McMichael's gun away, and either basically shot himself or gave McMichael little choice but to shoot him. You can't let a violent criminal take your gun away. There are undoubtedly aspects of the case I don't know about, but, morally speaking, I didn't think the McMichaels acted unreasonably--given my understanding.

   It's pretty damn hard to believe that Bryan was convicted. 

   But, as I said: I haven't followed the case very closely. 

   One might say that it's no surprise given the madness gripping the country. If Rittenhouse went to trial at all, I rather figured that the the defendants in this case were screwed.