BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Defense attorneys for the three men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery are looking to file appeals on behalf of their clients, and at least one of the men is struggling to find ways to pay for his defense.
Two online fundraisers for William “Roddie” Bryan have been shut down, including a GoFundMe page.
Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, who made headlines throughout the murder trial, said “shame on GoFundMe,” after the account was removed.
Gough wrote on Facebook:
“The right to counsel, a guarantee enshrined in our Constitution, means little if ordinary people like Roddie Bryan cannot raise funds for their own defense -- and that includes the right to raise funds for an appeal. The cancellation of legitimate online efforts to raise funds for Roddie Bryan is simply the latest manifestation of a woke left mob mentality that relentlessly seeks to undermine the institutions of our government.”
In September, GoFundMe shared its terms of use that it cannot be used for legal defenses of violent crimes.
The GoFundMe page for Bryan, which was asking for $300,000, was created by a woman who identified herself as Bryan’s fiancée, Amy Elrod.
In the campaign’s description, Elrod wrote in part:
“Roddie had no weapon that day, only his cell phone, to which no one would have known what happened that day without it. He also turned it over to the police on the scene and cooperated fully throughout the investigation. Please help anyway you can to #FreeRoddie #IStandWithRoddie”
The campaign had raised $700 by the time it was removed. After the GoFundMe page was taken down, Gough pointed people toward a Spot Fund account, but it has also been taken down.
A jury found Bryan and his neighbors, Travis and Greg McMichael, guilty of murder and other crimes in Arbery’s death. They are awaiting sentencing.
