Senator Bradford Issues Statement on Guilty Conviction in the Killing of Ahmaud Arbery

SACRAMENTO – Following the guilty verdict in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery made earlier today, Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) released the following statement:

“Justice was served today with the conviction of the three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery last year in Georgia. This guilty verdict shows that, for once, justice was not blind to facts. Arbery was chased down and murdered by three individuals acting as a modern-day lynch mob trying to disguise themselves beneath an archaic citizen’s arrest law.

“Although I am glad to see our justice system doing its job, we must continue to work toward a future in which no one fears violence or injustice because of the color of their skin. While the system worked today, we must not forget its shortcomings as were seen last week in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.

“White vigilantism is being applauded and encouraged throughout the country while unarmed individuals like Ahmaud Arbery, Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber, and Gaige Grosskreutz are being shot and killed for doing nothing wrong. We must not allow this to further denigrate our justice system and terrorize our communities, in particular our communities of color.”

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Senator Bradford is Chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and represents the Los Angeles County communities of Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lennox, San Pedro, Torrance, Watts, Willowbrook, and Wilmington.