Travis McMichael Speaks from Solitary: My “Woke Justice” Trial and Life Sentence for Self-Defense
Travis McMichael Speaks from Solitary: My “Woke Justice” Trial and Life Sentence for Self-Defense
July 25, 2025
My name is Travis McMichael. I have been in prison in solitary protective custody since my arrest on May 7, 2020 for the self-defense shooting of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia. Like the January 6 defendants, I was a victim of the “Woke Justice” system under Joe Biden.
For the first 27 months, I was confined in “the hole” on 23-hour lockdown at the Glynn County jail, with only one hour per day out of my cell for a shower, exercise, and to use the phone. I was finally transferred to Hays State Prison in Trion, Georgia in January 2023.
Since my arrival at Hays State Prison, I have been in protective custody on permanent lockdown in a 10’ x 8′ cell due to the constant threats on my life. The only exceptions are being escorted to the shower across from my cell on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
With the exception of a court hearing this past October, I have not seen the sun in 5 years. I was informed recently by the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections that I will never be allowed to leave my cell during my imprisonment, which is life without parole plus 20 years.
I have an occasional visit from my mother, and very limited contact with staff and officers. The only interaction I have with prisoners is with the Trustees, former killers who have been vetted and are trusted to work where I am housed.
Despite my conditions, I am being treated professionally and fairly by the staff and trustees that I interact with through my cell door, and I am never harassed. My days consist of reading, studying the Bible, responding to letters, and sketching.
I know that my Lord and Savior sees all and knows what is in our hearts, and that keeps me in peace and in joyful spirits.
I was born in Brunswick, Georgia and raised in a loving, joyful household along with my younger sister. We had a normal middle-class upbringing. My father was in law enforcement before retiring in 2019. My mother was and still is a registered nurse.
Being raised in a home where community service and helping others was the norm, I found myself wanting to do the same. I worked as a lifeguard during the summers on the beach and as a driving instructor until joining the Coast Guard at age 21.
I served as a Boarding Officer in maritime law enforcement operations and as a crewman on search and rescue operations and patrols for 9 years. I left with an Honorable Discharge to help raise my newborn son and to start a fishing business.
February 23, 2020 was the worst day of my life. After the shooting incident, I was interviewed at the police station by investigators and immediately released because my actions were deemed to be justified in self-defense.
Months later, the “woke justice” system came after me, willing to misconstrue and manipulate what had actually happened in order to benefit a political narrative.
Because my appeal is pending, I best not explain what happened that day, but please read all the facts as recently covered by Joel Gilbert in The Gateway Pundit, and also read more at my family website here: WWW.MCMICHAELTRIAL.COM.
The days and weeks following the shooting were tough. I began having nightmares and flashbacks. I spoke with a counselor on how to process the trauma in a healthy manner, and I tried to carry on like everything was normal for the sake of my 3-year-old son and family.
After a month had passed, I began to see an uptick of visitors on my business page on Facebook for my charter service and new followers on my business Instagram account.
My LinkedIn page began sending notifications of views from people described as lawyers and social justice coordinators. Within 48 hours, I was getting tagged in Instagram posts from Attorney Lee Merritt, Shaun King with Black Lives Matter, a group called “The Justice League,” and the “Huey P. Lewis Gun Club.”
All the posts were falsely claiming that I had shot a man because he was black and jogging in my neighborhood. I didn’t think much of the posts because that narrative was so ridiculous, and the facts overwhelmingly proved otherwise. I didn’t yet understand how powerful the woke mob was.
Later that evening, The New York Times published an article with the new narrative. They claimed there was a “cover-up” and that Ahmaud Arbery was doing nothing but enjoying a jog.
Suddenly, my business accounts were flooded with negative reviews and threats, my personal Instagram account was bombarded with negative and vile messages, and my email account was flooded with subscriptions and spam.
It was instantaneous and seemed planned. Looking out my living room window, cars were circling by my house at all hours. My friends and relatives started getting doxed and harassed as well.
Previous clients who had placed positive reviews on my business pages were threatened and harassed relentlessly.
At first, I wasn’t concerned about the online harassment, but it became more organized by the day as the false narrative grew and the media picked it up.
Soon, people were appearing in front of my house with signs. Groups like BLM, the New Black Panthers, and civil rights lawyers including Lee Merritt and Ben Crump were calling for protests in my neighborhood, and telling mobs to come to my house and make a citizens arrest of me and my father. Things were beginning to get out of control and dangerous.
It had now been 74 days after the tragedy and no new evidence had emerged to change the facts.
Despite this, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) took over the case under the direction of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
My father and I were arrested at our home within 36 hours. During our bond hearing, those who testified on our behalf had their pictures taken by Lee Merritt while they testified.
The photos were published by Shaun King of BLM with their addresses and work info in an attempt to intimidate others not to speak out on our behalf.
Like many others during the Biden presidency, I believe myself, my father, and also my neighbor Roddy Bryan, were arrested and ultimately convicted because of a political narrative, known as “woke justice,” and not based on the facts which easily proved it was a cut and dry case of self-defense.
I am currently appealing my conviction.
For more information on my case, please visit WWW.MCMICHAELTRIAL.COM. There is a link to my GiveSendGo account if you would like to support us in legal funding.
Travis James McMichael (born January 18, 1986) is a former U.S. Coast Guard member from Brunswick, Georgia, who came to national public attention after he and his father, Gregory McMichael, followed 25‑year‑old Ahmaud Arbery who attacked Travis and tried to take his shotgun from him. Arbery was shot in the struggle over the weapon. In November 2021, McMichael and his father were convicted of malice murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
The post Travis McMichael Speaks from Solitary: My “Woke Justice” Trial and Life Sentence for Self-Defense appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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