The latest in the trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery

The defense teams for Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. have rested after presenting their case for two days and calling seven witnesses, including Travis McMichael. 

The three White men on trial are accused of chasing down and killing Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was out for a jog on Feb. 23, 2020, in the Satilla Shores neighborhood, just outside of Brunswick, Georgia.  

The men were arrested in May 2020, after a video of the shooting shot by Bryan surfaced.  

All three men are charged with malice and felony murder and have pleaded not guilty. They also face charges of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit a felony. 

The McMichaels claim they were conducting a citizen’s arrest and that Travis McMichael was acting in self-defense at the time of Arbery’s death. Bryan maintains he is innocent of any wrongdoing. 

If convicted of the state charges, each man could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.  

Closing arguments will be at 9 a.m. on Monday.

Ahmaud Arbery’s mother, speaking with her attorney after the defense rested, said she feels confident that the jury will return a guilty verdict.  

When asked about Gregory McMichael not testifying, she said, “I really wanted to hear something from Gregory being that he was the father and see what he has to say and see can I get something out of parent to parent, mother to father and see where his mindset was as well,” Cooper-Jones said.

She added that it was “very disappointing” that he did not testify.   

Cooper-Jones’ attorney, Lee Merritt, said they briefly met with state prosecutors this afternoon and thanked them for their work. 

Black ministers and pastors from all over the country gathered in Brunswick, Georgia, for a prayer event supporting the family of Ahmaud Arbery Thursday.  

Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, thanked all the pastors who were present before telling the crowd, “When Ahmaud was killed on the 23rd of February the family had some of the darkest times of our lives. We asked questions, we got no answers, we submitted emails with no reply back.”

Offering additional words, Marcus Arbery Sr., Arbery’s father, thanked the ministers. 

“We know Quez was killed wrongly but look at the change he brought….to make this world better for other kids, so other kids can run and don’t get killed or shot at,” Arbery’s father said.

As the event got underway, Rev. Al Sharpton told the crowd that he did not come to protest, he came as a minister to address the attention that he’s received from defense attorney Kevin Gough.

Then Sharpton laid out the purpose saying, “our agenda is that the God we serve will give strength to this woman and this man and this family and an agenda that God would give us justice in this courtroom.” 

“How you gonna question who sits with them, we’ve never questioned who sits with the defendants’ family. We are here today to pray for this family to have strength,” the reverend said.

Some context: An official with the unified command in Glynn County, who declined to be identified directly due to the sensitive nature of the events, estimated the crowd gathered at the courthouse to be over 500 people.

The group took up about a quarter of a Brunswick city block in front of the courthouse.

The ministers left the courthouse to gather for a march that is also taking place this afternoon. 

As court resumed after a lunch break, defense attorney Kevin Gough called for a mistrial based on the question asked by state prosecutor Larissa Ollivierre.

During cross-examination Ollivierre had asked witness Lindy Cofer, “Do you believe that someone stealing is deserving of the death penalty?”

Gregory McMichael’s attorney, Laura Hogue, had asked the judge to admonish Ollivierre. She filed the motion after the jury had been excused for lunch. The attorneys for the other two defendants joined in the motion. 

Once court resumed, Judge Timothy Walmsley ruled to admonish the prosecutor calling the question “inflammatory and irrelevant.” 

Walmsley instructed the jury on the admonishment and told the jury to disregard the question when they returned.  

The defense has called Cindy Clark as their third witness after lunch Thursday.

Clark has been a resident of the Satilla Shores neighborhood since 2004. Satilla Shores is the neighborhood where Ahmaud Arbery was killed.

So far today: On Thursday, the attorneys also finished questioning Travis McMichael. McMichael, one of the three men charged with murder in Arbery’s death, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense, saying Arbery attacked him and grabbed his shotgun.

The defense also called Lindy Cofer, another resident of the Satilla Shores neighborhood.

Defense attorney Laura Hogue asked the judge in the trial of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s death to publicly reprimand state prosecutor Larissa Ollivierre for a question she asked during cross-examination.

Ollivierre asked witness Lindy Cofer, “Do you believe that someone stealing is deserving of the death penalty?” Hogue also asked the judge that the jury be instructed to disregard the question.

Hogue filed the motion on behalf of her client Gregory McMichael, saying, “It’s inappropriate, it’s incendiary. It’s prejudicial. It’s improper and we ask that she be sanctioned in front of the jury for having done that in such a, in any case, but in such a serious case.”

She filed the motion after the jury had been excused for lunch. 

The attorneys for the other two defendants joined in the motion. 

Ollivierre told the court that she believed it was an appropriate question to ask the witness under cross-examination. 

Judge Timothy Walmsley said he would consider the motion. 

State prosecutor Linda Dunikoski finished her cross examination of Travis McMichael this morning after his second day on the stand. 

The court is taking a lunch break and will hear from the defense’s second witness when they come back.

The defense has now called Lindy Cofer, a resident of the Satilla Shores, to the stand.

Satilla shores is the neighborhood where Ahmaud Arbery was killed. 

Moments ago, state prosecutor, Linda Dunikoski, finished her cross examination of Travis McMichael.

McMichael, one of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s death, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense, saying Arbery attacked him and grabbed his shotgun.

The prosecution concluded their cross-examination of Travis McMichael.

McMichael, one of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s death, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense, saying Arbery attacked him and grabbed his shotgun.

McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, along with William “Roddie” Bryan, did not face charges in the February 2020 incident until months later, when video surfaced that appeared to show the McMichaels chasing Arbery in their truck as he was jogging.

In early testimony Thursday, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski pressed McMichael over inconsistencies between parts of his description of the chase to police a couple hours after it happened, and his testimony about the pursuit in court.

He said he was “scattered” and “mixed up” after the shooting because “this is the most traumatic event I’ve ever been through in my life.”

McMichael also acknowledged several times, under Dunikoski’s questioning, that he never saw Arbery armed during the pursuit.

He was asked a few questions by the defense before being dismissed and leaving the stand.

Correction: A previous version of this post misspelled Linda Dunikoski’s last name.

A large group has begun to gather outside the courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia, where the trial of the three men accused of killing 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery is in day 10. 

Attorney Lee Merritt and Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, are among those recognized in the crowd. 

A large group of faith leaders is expected to gather today for a “Prayer Wall” event that was organized by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network. The rally was scheduled to begin in the 11 a.m. ET hour, but has been pushed back until 1 p.m. ET, according to a spokesperson for Sharpton who said a lunch is now scheduled before the event officially begins. 

According to a recent announcement, Arbery’s family will hold a news conference alongside Sharpton, Bryant, Merritt, attorney Ben Crump and pastors Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King III. It is scheduled for 12:30 p.m ET.

Other groups who have organized members of the clergy are also at the courthouse today and could begin their events before the “Prayer Wall” event. 

There is also a march scheduled for later this afternoon. 

As court resumed after a brief recess, the defense moved to remove juror 12 saying she was falling asleep.

The state objected saying they didn’t notice.

Judge Timothy Walmsley said he was keeping an eye on her and decided not to remove her, but said he will inquire on if she’s listening to testimony.

Court is back in session after taking a quick break.

The cross-examination of Travis McMichael, one of the defendants, continues.

More than 100 clergy members are expected to gather shortly at the Brunswick courthouse where the trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery is taking place.

The rally comes after defense attorney Kevin Gough asked the judge to remove the Revs. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton from the courtroom on Monday, alleging that the presence of Black pastors would influence the jury. 

According to a news release, the group plans to hold a faith march and prayer circle.

Ahead of Travis McMichael taking to the the stand in his own defense Thursday morning, defense attorneys raised several issues with the judge.

Here’s what happened:

Kevin Gough, the attorney for William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., one of the co-defendants in the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial, told the court his client will not testify in his own defense.

Attorneys for Travis McMichael also asked the court to prevent the state from questioning Travis McMichael on a racial epithet that he allegedly used after Arbery was shot and killed. The epithet was disclosed by the case’s lead GBI investigator during a preliminary hearing. 

“We don’t believe it’s proper to ask that question at this point. Given it’s not, there is no admissible evidence of that epithet,” said Robert (Bob) Rubin, one of Travis McMichael’s attorneys.

Judge Timothy Walmsley said he would consider the cases provided by the attorneys and would provide a decision before Travis McMichael’s testimony concludes.  

In yet another attempt to keep Reverends Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson out of the courtroom, Gough filed a third motion to “prohibit any further conduct that may intimidate or influence jurors” on behalf of his client. To persuade the court to ban the pair, Gough shared a case from 1990, where Nation of Islam leader, Minister Louis Farrakhan was excluded from the public gallery of a trial. 

Walmsley denied the motion saying that he had already ruled on it and the court was not going to address the matter, noting that the two ministers were not in the courtroom at the time. 

Jackson entered the courtroom shortly before 10 a.m. ET sitting next to Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery’s mother, according to a pool reporter in the courtroom.  

The state’s cross-examination of Travis McMichael continued after the discussion. 

In the overflow room at the courthouse, people in the room were wearing shirts with “I support Black pastors,” a pool reporter inside the courthouse said.

A large rally and march in support of the Arbery family is expected later today. 

The court is taking a quick break.

The prosecution is continuing its cross-examination of Travis McMichael today and will prosecutors will keep questioning him when court resumes.

McMichael, one of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s death, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense, saying Arbery attacked him and grabbed his shotgun.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson was seen in the courtroom as Travis McMichael testifies.

On Monday, Jackson said he has a “moral obligation” to be in court during the trial of three White men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery. He said he will be present for the rest of the week and beyond.

Jackson’s remarks Monday came after defense attorney Kevin Gough attempted to have Jackson removed from court as the civil rights leader sat with Arbery’s family. Gough insists that prominent Black pastors, such as Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has also been at the trial, can influence the jury.

Last week, Gough asked the judge to ban Black pastors from court and later apologized for it.

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Travis McMichael is back on the stand to continue cross-examination.

McMichael, one of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s death, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense, saying Arbery attacked him and grabbed his shotgun.

Court is back in session for the second day of arguments from the defense.

Travis McMichael, one of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s death, testified Wednesday he shot the Black jogger in self-defense, saying Arbery attacked him and grabbed his shotgun.

McMichael is set to take the stand this morning to continue cross-examination.

Ben Crump, the attorney for Ahmaud Arbery’s father, spoke to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday after the defense wrapped up their first day of arguments.

Crump said the self-defense argument made in testimony Wednesday by Travis McMichael – one of three men charged with murder in 25-year-old Arbery’s death – is “asinine,” and that the trial has been very tough on Arbery’s parents.

“If this is was your child, how would you keep composure after you see these people lynch him, and then you see them offer this self-defense and people are actually taking this as if it’s credible?” he continued. “…In the moments later, they actually killed their son and yet they’re talking about self-defense. It is just asinine and an insult to our intelligence.” 

Crump said Arbery’s race led the defendants to prejudge him as a criminal.

“It is the worst nightmare of every parent, but especially parents of color who know that any Tom, Dick or Harry white man can shoot their child and claim self-defense and people start to believe it,” Crump said.

Some background: Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. are charged with malice and felony murder in the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.

Arbery’s family has said he was out for a jog when he was shot and killed. Defense attorneys contend the McMichaels, suspecting him of burglary, were trying to conduct a lawful citizen’s arrest, and that Bryan cut him off and recorded video of the pursuit and shooting. The defense also contends Travis McMichael shot Arbery in self-defense as they wrestled over the former’s shotgun.

Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., are on trial for the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia.

Arbery was shot dead on Feb. 23, 2020, in a confrontation with the McMichaels in the neighborhood of Satilla Shores, outside the city of Brunswick in Georgia’s lowcountry.

Arbery was on a jog — something he was known to do, according to those who knew him — when the McMichaels grabbed their guns and pursued Arbery. Gregory McMichael, a former police officer and investigator in the local district attorney’s office, later told police Arbery and his son had struggled over his son’s shotgun, and that Travis McMichael shot Arbery after the latter attacked him, according to the initial police report.

Bryan had joined the pursuit and recorded the shooting on his cellphone.

Gregory McMichael told police he and his son had pursued Arbery because they suspected he was responsible for a string of recent purported burglaries in the neighborhood. A Glynn County Police spokesperson later said there had only been one burglary — a gun stolen from an unlocked vehicle in front of the McMichaels’ home — reported in more than seven weeks prior to the shooting.

Additionally, McMichael said he saw Arbery inside a home under construction. Arbery was seen entering the home in surveillance video at the site, but the owner of the home told CNN he did not see Arbery commit any crime other than “trespassing” the day of the shooting.

For months, the case lay dormant, and two prosecutors recused themselves due to conflicts of interest.

But in May, video taken by Bryan of the fatal interaction was made public, and the McMichaels were arrested days later. The three were all jointly indicted by a grand jury in June 2020.

At a preliminary hearing last June, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Richard Dial testified Bryan told investigators he heard Travis McMichael use a racial epithet after shooting Arbery. McMichael had also used racial slurs numerous times on social media and on messaging services, Dial said.

Attorneys for the three defendants have said they acted in self-defense. But Dial testified the opposite was true.