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Attorneys file motion for hearings of 3 men charged in Ahmaud Arbery's death

Days after attorneys filed motions for the defendants in the Ahmaud Arbery case, First Coast News learned the Justice Department is also investigating the case.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The Department of Justice says hate crime charges are possible against the men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery.

Arbery is the 25-year-old black man whose killing in February has reignited a national conversation about race, guns and rushing to judgment.

On Monday, attorneys for Arbery’s family say they met with a U.S. Attorney to discuss the case. The family attorney, Lee Merritt, says they feel relieved following the meeting.

“They feel much better today than when they did a month ago when there were no arrests and the DOJ was not investigating,” Merritt told First Coast News.

“They specified [hate crime charges], for what it’s worth, the federal wing of the government, they look at it constitutional violations, statutorial violations, it’s a broad net and they go on a fact-finding expedition and present that to a grand jury,” Merritt said.

Georgia is one of a few states that does not have a hate crime statute.

Merritt says it’s significant for federal authorities to get involved in this case.

“What’s unique about what’s going on is the state of Georgia essentially asked for the help to look into corruption in this part of the country,” Merritt said.

First Coast News reached out to U.S. Attorney Bobby Christine’s office for comment. His office says they could not comment on an active investigation.

Merritt says the DOJ is also looking at potential 14th amendment violations by two district attorneys who previously handled the case. Merritt’s opinion is that the DA’s lack of action denied justice to the Arbery family.

“You have the DA’s who arguably did not provide equal protection to Ahmaud Arbery’s family in delaying the investigation and denying the arrest,” Merritt said. “You also have George Barnhill’s conclusions that this family essentially didn’t qualify for governmental protection because of their ‘deep connections to the criminal justice system’ or something like that."

At a local level, attorneys for all three men charged in Arbery’s death have filed motions for preliminary hearings, according to Glynn County court records.

All three legal teams say that more evidence will clear their clients.

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