The murder trial of three men in February 2020’s fatal shooting will begin on Monday. Jury selection will take place Monday.
Monday’s jury selection will begin in the murder trial for three white Georgia men accused in the shooting death of Ahmaud Abery, a 25 year-old Black man. Ahmaud was shot after being chased by his father and son in their pickup truck.
Travis McMichael (35), and his father Gregory McMichael (65) are accused of murdering Arbery. William Bryan, a third man who filmed the fatal shooting, is also being charged with murder. Arbery’s family claims that he was jogging. McMichaels have been accused of being motivated racial animus and have stated that they believed Arbery was burglar. Bryan argued that Bryan was merely a witness.
They are facing state charges for malice murder, felonious murder, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit an felony. Each of them has pleaded not guilty.
Feb. 23, 2020: Ahmaud Arbery is shot dead
Arbery was killed and shot in Brunswick, Georgia on February 23, 2020. He had been following the McMichaels in their pickup truck.
February 27, 2020: The first prosecutor resigns
Jackie Johnson, Brunswick-area district Attorney, decided to withdraw herself from the case. She stated that Gregory McMichael was an investigator in her office for over 30 years and was a former Glynn county police officer. He retired in May 2019.
April 3, 2020: After finding no grounds to indict McMichaels, a second prosecutor steps down
George Barnhill was one of the first prosecutors to handle the case. He defended Bryan’s actions. Barnhill, one of the prosecutors who first handled the case, wrote a retraction saying that there was “solid first hand probable cause” for them to pursue Arbery as a “burglary suspect” and stop him.
April 13, 2020: The case is taken over by a third prosecutor
According to Durden’s May 5, 2020 letter, Thomas Durden was appointed the Georgia’s Atlantic Judicial Circuit district attorney. The case was transferred on or around April 13th. Durden announced that he would present the case to the Glynn County grand jury “for consideration of criminal charges against the people involved in the murder of Mr. Arbery.”
May 5, 2020: Online video of Arbery’s fatal shooting emerged. The leak of the video brought the case to national attention, prompting outrage.
Arbery’s lawyer released a video that seemed to show the fatal shooting as well as an altercation just moments earlier.
Arbery can be seen running down a street while a white pickup truck stops in front of his vehicle. Arbery is seen running around the pickup truck and firing a shot. Two more shots are then fired, and Arbery and another man appear to be fighting.
Durden requested that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation take over the case.
Gregory McMichael later claimed that he helped leak the video because “the public should know the truth”, according to his attorney.
May 7, 2020: Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael were arrested
According to the GBI, McMichaels was arrested for murder and aggravated attack. Both men eventually pleaded guilty.
May 8, 2020: Arbery’s birthday celebrations are celebrated by supporters
Arbery would be 26 years old on May 8, 2020. To commemorate his death, supporters documented 2.23 miles of runs and walks on Arbery’s birthday.
May 11, 2020: Justice Department will review federal hate crime allegations
The Justice Department stated that it would review a request from Georgia’s Attorney General to review the shooting and determine whether federal hate crime charges should proceed.
May 11, 2020: Arbery murder switched to a forth prosecutor
Joyette Holmes, a Cobb County Judicial Circuit prosecutor, was appointed by the state’s attorney general to supervise the case.
May 12, 2020: GBI is asked by the state attorney general for assistance in investigating this case
Georgia’s attorney General asked the GBI for an investigation into allegations of misconduct made by two local prosecutors regarding the death Arbery.
Attorney General Chris Carr stated that “unfortunately, many questions have arisen” about the actions of these attorneys. He was referring to Brunswick Judicial Circuit District attorney Jackie Johnson and Waycross Judicial Circuit district attorney George Barnhill.
May 12, 2020: Autopsy results released
An autopsy revealed that Arbery was shot multiple times and died. An autopsy report revealed that Arbery was shot in both the upper and lower chests and had a shotgun graze on his right wrist.
May 21, 2020: Arbery’s shooting recorded by a man charged with murder
Authorities said that William “Roddie”, Bryan, who was responsible for the fatal shooting, was taken into custody on suspicion of murder and attempted false imprisonment.
June 4, 2020: An investigator testifies that Travis McMichael used an racial slur following shooting
GBI special agent Richard Dial testified that Bryan heard Travis McMichael utter “f—ing N” during a May 13 interview.
March 28, 2021: Three men are charged with federal hate crime offenses
A federal grand jury indicted the three Georgian men who were previously accused of state murder in Arbery’s murder. They were also charged with attempted kidnapping and hate crimes.
According to the Department of Justice, Arbery was confronted by two men “because of his race”. They have since pleaded guilty. The trial is set to start in February 2022.
May 10, 2021: Georgia repeals 1863 citizen’s arrest law
Republican Governor. Brian Kemp signed an amendment to a Civil War-era citizen’s arrest law, which was used to defend Arbery’s fatal shooting.
“Unfortunately, we had no choice but to lose our son in this way. According to The Associated Press, Wanda Cooper-Jones (Abery’s mom), she said that if this bill had been passed, it would have protected young men as they jog down the street.
Kemp stated that Georgia is now the first country to repeal the citizen’s arrest statute.
Sept. 2, 2021: An ex-DA was indicted for allegedly’showing favour’ to Arbery’s killersJacquelyn Johnson, a former Georgia District Attorney, was indicted. A grand jury stated that she preferred Arbery’s killers.
Johnson was the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney at the time Arbery was murdered. He was indicted for violating an oath by public officer and obstruction to a police officer.
According to the indictment, she is accused of showing “favor and affection to Greg McMichael” during the investigation. According to the indictment document, she is also accused of hindering two police officers by directing Travis McMichael not to be arrested.
September 30, 2021: Defense lawyers seek to remove evidence from the Confederate flag license plates
McMichaels attorneys asked for a ban on photo evidence of vanity plates. This plate includes a Confederate emblem and was used by the McMichaels to pursue Arbery.
Defense argued that the license plate was irrelevant and prejudicial.
October 1, 2021: Judge rules that Arbery’s mental records cannot be used in a trial
Judge Arbery ruled that Arbery’s mental health records could not be used in trial evidence.
