In the wake of his conviction for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a GoFundMe to raise money for the legal costs associated with William “Roddie” Bryan‘s appeal has been shut down, the Savannah Morning News reports.
On Monday, Amy Elrod, who is Bryan’s fiancé, created the fundraiser on Monday, but it was shut down a short time later.
“Shame on GoFundMe for cancelling Roddie’s fundraiser for his appeal,” Bryan’s attorney Kevin Gough wrote on Facebook Tuesday. “Friends and family of Roddie Bryan have set up a new account online, at Spotfund, to fund what are likely to be considerable legal costs associated with his appeal. The money is NOT for me. Not a penny. Please be generous.”
The fundraiser had only reached about $700 of its $300,000 goal when it was shut down by the platform. GoFundMe prohibits raising funds for the legal defense of a violent crime.
Before it was deleted, Elrod wrote in the fundraiser’s description: “I am the fiancé of William “Roddie” Bryan. He is the man whom was found guilty of murder along with the McMichaels in the Ahmaud Arbery case in Brunswick, Ga. Roddie had no weapon that day, only his cell phone, to which no one would have known what happened that day without it. He also turned it over to the police on the scene and cooperated fully throughout the investigation. Please help anyway you can to #FreeRoddie #IStandWithRoddie”
On Nov. 24, Bryan, along with father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, were convicted of murdering Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020 as he ran through their neighborhood.
A date for sentencing has not yet been announced as if this writing.
