Renewed calls for Georgia hate-crimes law after shooting of Ahmaud Arbery

<p>The shooting death of unarmed jogger Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man who was believed to be pursued by two white men before he was fired upon, is renewing calls for Georgia to institute a hate-crimes law.</p><p>Father and son, Gregory and Travis McMichael, accused of shooting Arbery, were arrested two days after footage emerged of them shooting Arbery while he was out jogging on Feb. 23.</p><p>Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds Friday speaking to reporters at a press briefing pledged that "every stone will be unturned," in the prosecution.</p><p>Reynolds said it took 36 hours from the time the bureau began assisting inthe probe to arrest the father and son.</p><p>Atlantic Judicial CircuitDistrict Attorney Tom Durden led the investigation since April 14, he said. But Reynolds noted that McMichaels wouldn't be brought up on hate crime charges.</p><p>“There's no hate crime in Georgia," he said.</p><p>Georgia is one of four states in the nation without a law that creates tougher penalties for those who commit crimes based on race, religion, sexual orientation or disability.</p><p>At one time, Georgia had a hate crime law. State legislators passed a bill in 2000 that forbid acts that targeted victims due to “bias or prejudice.” The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the law in 2004, ruling that it was too vague.</p><p>Now several lawmakers, including State Rep. Chuck Efstration want that changed. Efstration is among the lawmakers who have authored House Bill 426 in another attempt to pass hate crime legislation in Georgia. A version passed the Georgia House last year by a 96-64 vote but stalled in the state Senate.</p>