Defense attorneys representing Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. said they plan to appeal the two men’s murder convictions. As reported by REVOLT; McMichael, Bryan and Gregory McMichael were found guilty of felony murder yesterday (Nov. 24) for the February 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

Speaking with CNN; Jason Sheffield and Bob Rubin, Travis’ attorneys, said they are already discussing what courtroom they will appeal his conviction.

“I can tell you honestly, these men are sorry for what happened to Ahmaud Arbery,” Sheffield said. “They are sorry that he is dead, they are sorry for the tragedy that happened because of the choices that they made to go out there and try to stop him.”

“We believe the appellate courts will reverse this conviction,” Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, added.

As reported, Gough was previously criticized for asking that high-profile Black pastors be banned from attending the trial. The lawyer said, “We don’t want any more Black pastors coming in here” upon seeing Rev. Al Sharpton sitting with Arbery’s family in the public gallery.

Many social media users deemed the comments insensitive and racist, and Gough later apologized. However, he brought up the issue again when Rev. Jesse Jackson attended the trial.

“There is no reason for these prominent icons in the civil rights movement to be here,” he said. “With all due respect, I would suggest, whether intended or not, that inevitably a juror is going to be influenced by their presence in the courtroom.”

However, Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley denied his request and said he was not going to “single out any particular individual… as not being allowed into this courtroom.”

Speaking with CNN, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said Gough’s comments about Black pastors were strategic and showed he was already planning for an appeal.

“Mr. Gough is a very, very good attorney and he purposefully and intentionally and strategically, I believe, did what he did in an effort to attempt to insert potentially some error into the case in case he lost the case and it went up on appeal,” she told the outlet.

With their conviction, the McMichaels and Bryan now face a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.