Many Roc Nation artists, including Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Meek Mill, Yo Gotti, and more are using their platforms to fight for justice for the shooting killing of Ahmaud Arbery by releasing an open letter to government officials in Georgia, where the tragic incident took place. The letter is demanding a quick trial and conviction of father and son, Gregory and Travis McMichael, who claimed they shot and killed Ahmaud because he matched the description of a criminal in the area.
In the open letter addressed to the Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia AG Christopher Darr and District Attorney Tom Durden, the Roc Nation team wrote, “By now, we’ve all seen the crime’s disturbing video, so the facts here are not in doubt: He was unarmed and innocent and the victim of a hate crime. Which is why we call upon you today, as official leaders of the Great State of Georgia, and with the entire world watching, to ensure that a fair trial is conducted, as that can only lead to the appropriate felony convictions of both McMichaels.”
They continued, “We also implore you to charge William Bryan as an armed accomplice to the crime.” William Bryan was the man who filmed the now-viral video. Jay-Z and his team also went on to urge D.A. Tom Durden to recuse himself from the case due to of a conflict of interest. “We truly appreciate that you have arrested and charged these men with Ahmaud’s murder, and are hopeful that a trial and conviction will show that, in the state that gave us Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and has been the site of the best and worst of the Civil Rights movement, Dr. King’s words do ring true: ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'”
Gregory and Travis McMichael were arrested for the murder of Ahmaud on May 7, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced. The charges for murder and aggravated assault were only made after much public outcry, and countless celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, demanded justice for Ahmaud.