SHOCK POLL: Only a THIRD of Republicans Thought Arbery Killers Should Be Found Guilty — 54% Were Not Sure

Tommy ChristopherNov 26th, 2021, 1:00 pm

Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan

A stunning new poll finds that only a third of Republicans thought the killers of Ahmaud Arbery should be found guilty, while 77 percent of Democrats said the same.

On Wednesday, the nation watched as guilty verdict after guilty verdict was read at the trial of Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan, for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery last February.

The jury took less than a day to return the verdict, after asking to see the brutal video that Bryan shot as he and the McMichaels chased the unarmed Mr. Arbery down, and Travis McMichael shot and killed him.

But in a The Economist/YouGov Poll poll taken November 20 – 23, just before the verdict was delivered, a shocking partisan split emerged. Respondents to the poll were asked “Do you believe Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William Bryan should be found guilty of murder?”

Among Republicans, only 33 percent said “yes,” while 14 percent said “no” and 54 percent said they were “not sure.” It was a far wider disparity even than the racial disparity. Three-quarters of Black respondents said yes, the three men should be found guilty, while a combined 48 percent of White respondents said the same. Only White women with college degrees held this view by a majority, at 61 percent.

The only greater disparity recorded was between Trump voters, 32 percent of whom said Mr. Arbery’s killers should be found guilty, and respondents who voted for President Joe Biden. Eighty-two percent of Biden voters said the McMichaels and Bryan should be found guilty, with only two percent saying “no” and 16 percent “not sure.”

The killing of Mr. Arbery occurred February 23, 2020, but no charges were filed and the case was headed for closure until the video that Mr. Bryan shot was leaked to the press — video that the district attorney already had seen. The video caused an outcry when it was leaked in May, and the suspects were arrested shortly thereafter.