Savannah, Georgia – Greg and Travis McMichael, the father and son convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, have reportedly reached a plea deal to get them out of a federal hate crimes trial.

According to court documents filed Sunday, the McMichaels have reached a plea agreement with US Justice Department prosecutors, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier this month, the two men, along with their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan Jr., were sentenced to life in prison for their involvement in the fatal shooting of Arbery, an unarmed Black man, while he was jogging in his neighborhood in February 2020.

The three men argued they were carrying out a "citizen's arrest" and that Travis McMichael was acting in self-defense after Arbery allegedly lunged for him and his gun.

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After their conviction in state court, the men were expected to go to federal court on hate crimes charges, with jury selection scheduled to begin on February 7.

The plea deals, which do not mention Bryan, would require the approval of US District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood.

But Arbery's family is calling on her to reject the agreement.

Lee Merritt, the Texas attorney general candidate currently representing Arbery's family, tweeted, "Wanda Cooper Jones kept her promise to Ahmaud Arbery to get her son justice. Today the DOJ is attempting to 'snatch defeat from the jaws of victory'. We will not allow it."

"Federal prison is a country club when compared to state prison. Federal prisons are less populated, better funded and generally more accommodating than state prisons," he continued. "These men hurriedly entered this plea deal that would allow them to transfer out of custody from GA prison."

Wood had scheduled a pre-trial hearing for Monday, but it was unclear whether she planned to proceed after Sunday's news.

On Monday, Judge Lisa G. Wood rejected the plea deal reached for Travis McMichael on hate crime charges.

"I can’t say that 360 months is a precise ... fair sentence in this case," Wood said, as reported by NBC News. "It could be more, it could be less, it could be that. But given the unique circumstances of this case and my desire to hear form all concerned regarding the sentencing before I pronounce sentence, I am not comfortable accepting the terms of the plea agreement."

She had been expected to also rule on the plea deal for Gregory McMichael in a separate hearing 45 minutes later. But after her decision, the McMichaels' attorneys asked for 48 hours to consult with their clients over whether to change their pleas.

The next hearing will be on Friday. The federal hate crimes trial is scheduled to begin on Monday with jury selection.