Ahmaud Arbery Killing: Arbery's Father 'Mad as Hell' Over Now-Rejected Plea Deal

Earlier in January, the Justice Department approached Ahmaud Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, about a plea bargain that would have both Travis McMichael and his father Gregory McMichael admit that the crime they did was motivated by hate. Cooper-Jones said she was "completely betrayed by the DOJ lawyers" at the time.

Arbery's parents' wishes were heard when a federal judge rejected the latest plea agreement on Monday that was offered by the McMichaels.

U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood noted that it would have stuck her in specific sentencing terms, which included 30 years in federal prison, according to a CBS News report.

In addition, the McMichaels would have to go to a federal prison than a state prison, which is said to have tougher conditions.

Wood said that it would be right to consider the family's wishes at sentencing, adding that the plea would not have allowed that.

Arbery's family expressed strong opposition against the plea deal, with the family's lawyer Lee Merritt saying in a statement that they "vehemently" opposed the deals.

Merritt said that the plea bargain would have let the men serve 30 years of their terms in a chosen federal prison, adding that it would have been a "huge accommodation" to the suspects.

Wood has given the McMichaels until Friday to deliberate if they would move with the case through pleading guilty.

Arbery's mother was not the only one opposing and expressing disdain regarding the plea bargain. His father, Marcus Arbery, also commented on the matter.

Marcus told the press upon exiting the federal courthouse that he was "mad as hell" over the deal, adding that his son is someone they cannot replace.

He added that they are aiming for a "100 percent justice" not half justice.

Ahmaud Arbery Plea Deal

Prosecutor Tara Lyons said that she had been led to believe that the family was backing up the plea bargain.

Lyons told the judge that before the signing and execution of the plea agreements, the Arberys told the Justice Department that they would not go against the plea agreement, according to an NBC News report.

Lyons pushed through with the plea bargain as she believed that it would advance the larger interest of justice while allowing for "some healing to begin."

Meanwhile, several people supported the federal judge's decision to reject the plea bargain.

A Twitter user with @AdlaisWorld for his handle noted that they should be thanking Wood for upholding justice.

Twitter user @gojoe_joe also appreciated the judge's decision on the plea bargain, saying that the judge did not buy the "bullshit plea deal."

Another Twitter user, @cornfednegro,2 also shared his two cents on the plea bargain that was offered to the McMichaels, questioning since when suspects get to choose their own terms in serving their sentence.

Meanwhile, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said that she was satisfied with the court's decision to slam the sentencing terms of the offered plea deal.

Ahmaud Arbery Killing Case

In November, the McMichaels and their neighbor William Bryan were found guilty of murdering Arbery, a 25-year-old black man.

Travis and Gregory received life sentences without the possibility of parole, while Bryan got a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 30 years.

It became one of the most closely watched trials after a series of killings against black men were reported, including George Floyd's case, as reported by The New York Times.

The killing of Arbery was caught in video footage that was leaked to the public.

Ahmaud Arbery was running in Satilla Shores when Gregory saw him go by. He said that Arbery looked like a man that was suspected of property crimes in the area.

Byran recorded a video of the incident, with Travis handling a shotgun while Greg is in the bed of the pickup with a handgun.

Travis said that he opened fire only after Arbery attacked him with fists and tried to grab his shotgun. Three shotgun blasts were heard and Arbery was seen to fall to the pavement after a few steps.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Judge rejects plea deal for man convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery - from CBS Evening News