"Rest in peace young Ahmaud Arbery" - LeBron James posts emotional message as late Arbery's murder case verdict sees Travis McMichael declared guilty on all counts

LeBron James, one of the most popular voices in the fight against racial bias and police violence, posted a heartfelt message to Ahmaud Arbery. Arbery was gunned down on February 23, 2020, but it wasn’t until May of the same year that the suspects were charged for the killing. Just a few hours earlier today, the guilty verdict was handed down on Travis McMichael and two other suspects in the murder.

The four-time MVP, who just carried the Los Angeles Lakers past the Indiana Pacers, featured the story on Instagram in reaction to Complex’s post. The message from LeBron James was in resonance with many who felt the same way when the guilty verdict was announced.

“Rest in peace young Ahmaud Arbery.”

In May 2020, LeBron James originally tweeted the “Rest in Peace” message after hearing the news of Arbery’s gruesome death.

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Ahmaud Arbery was chased by Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan because they believed him to be involved in the burglaries in the neighborhood. Travis shot him three times with a pump-action shotgun and was declared guilty of all charges. The national media were mostly unaware of the events until the chilling video taken by Bryan went viral.

LeBron James was apparently one of those who saw the horrific recording of the events, which led to his impassioned post in May. The lynch-like killing stirred the national consciousness and brought back the Black Lives Matter campaign in Georgia and across the US.

The NBA and stars like LeBron James are diving into allegedly race-related cases

The Black Lives Matter movement is very much alive in the NBA. [Photo: People.com]

The George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Kyle Rittenhouse cases involving racial bias and police violence have prompted LeBron James and NBA stars to make their thoughts known. Very recently, the Lakers superstar took a shot at Rittenhouse for allegedly faking his tears during his own trial.

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High-profile athletes, particularly LeBron James, have such a huge following that what they post on social media regarding such cases automatically puts these cases on the pedestal. Obviously, the arguments pro and against these cases will rage on once the posts are seen by the thousands or millions.

Athletes nowadays are recognizing their value and responsibility when it comes to the thorniest political and social issues. The trend of making social media their platform to speak their minds is likely to stay for good.

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