Ahmaud Arbery Murder Trial Day 9: Defendant Travis McMichael takes the stand
BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Travis McMichael, the man who fired the shotgun blasts that killed Ahmaud Arbery, took the stand on the first day of the defense's case.
"I want to explain what happened," McMichael said.
He, his father Greg McMichael and neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan say they were lawfully trying to stop burglaries in their Brunswick, Georgia, neighborhood when they pursued Arbery.
McMichael, 35, said crime in his mostly quiet neighborhood of older residents and young families seemed to be on the rise not long after he moved into his parents’ home in 2018. He said his own car was broken into several times, prompting him to eventually leave it unlocked.
He also testified about his firearms training from when he served in the Coast Guard.
"What we’re taught is everybody has a weapon. Hands or fists are a weapon," he said.
Attorneys asked the judge to acquit all three defendants on murder charges on the basis that the prosecution had not met the burden of proof to convict. Judge Timothy Walmsley denied the motion.
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What's known about Ahmaud Arbery's death
A police report from the Glynn County Police Department says a man and his son, frustrated by a string of burglaries and break-ins in their neighborhood, decided to take matters in their own hands.
The men saw Arbery running through the Satilla Shores subdivision and considered him suspicious, a report says. They armed themselves and pursued him. Gregory McMichael, who it was later discovered has ties to the Glynn County District Attorney's Office, told police that Arbery and Travis fought over his son’s shotgun and his son fired two shots, killing Arbery.
Information that unfolded after the incident revealed Arbery was unarmed.
It was later discovered a man named William "Roddie" Bryan allegedly joined the chase and eventually cut off Arbery's route in a vehicle before he was shot and killed.
No one was arrested or charged for months after the shooting occurred.
Suspects: Gregory and Travis McMichael, William "Roddie" Bryan
Greg McMichael is a retired investigator for former Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson. He retired in 2019. Phone records introduced in court show he called Johnson and left her a voicemail after the shooting. Johnson said she recused her office from the case immediately because of its relationship with Greg McMichael.
The McMichaels’ attorneys' offered the explanation that their clients pursued Arbery because they suspected he was a burglar.
Security cameras had previously recorded Arbery entering a home under construction.
Attorneys for Travis McMichael shot Arbery while fearing for his life as they grappled over a shotgun.
Greg and Travis McMichael were arrested in May 2020, several months after the shooting took place after a GBI investigation concluded there was evidence for charges against them.
William "Roddie" Bryan followed the chase and recorded a video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery. Bryan was arrested weeks after the McMichaels.
Day 1: Opening statements
As opening statements were underway in the trial over Ahmaud Arbery's murder, some expressed concern over the composition of the jury.
Lawyers interviewed hundreds of potential jurors and eventually came down to a pool of 11 White people and one Black person.
Arbery’s mother said the selection shook her confidence.
"I was very shocked we only had one black African American man. That was devastating," Wanda Cooper-Jones said.
Day 2: Disturbing evidence sets tone
The first day of testimony saw Glynn County police Sgt. Sheila Ramos show jurors dozens of crime scene photos she took about an hour after the shooting.
Judge Timothy Walmsley warned the jury of graphic images and many of the images included Arbery’s body.
The defense also showed body camera video from officers that were first on the scene.
Glynn County Patrol Officer Ricky Minshew testified he arrived at the scene in the Satilla Shores subdivision about a minute after the gunshots sounded.
"The blood was exceeding the perimeter of his body. He was laying face down in the puddle of blood," Minshew said.
Minshew testified he radioed to send emergency medical responders but did not have the training or equipment to treat Arbery's serious injuries.
Day 3: More officers called as witnesses
Glynn County police officer testifies he interviewed Greg McMichael after Ahmaud Arbery shooting
First responders in the Ahmaud Arbery murder investigation continued their testimony. A police officer read a transcription of a conversation he had with Greg McMichael, the father of Arbery's accused shooter, Travis McMichael.
Glynn County Police Officer Jeff Brandeberry said Greg McMichael never used the words burglary, trespass or citizens arrest at the scene of the shooting.
Bradberry was one of the officers who transcripts from a body-worn camera that detailed conversations with defendant Greg McMichael.
"I saw him, yes. I saw him and, to be honest, if I would have gotten a shot I would have shot him myself because he was that violent," Brandeberry said while reading from transcripts.
An investigator who spoke to Greg McMichael at the police station also took the stand.
"He said stop you know I will blow your f***** head off or something. I was trying to convey that I was not playing," Investigator Parker Marcy said while reading a portion of the transcript.
Day 4: Satilla Shores witness takes the stand
Matthew Albenze, one of McMichael's neighbors, said he went inside his house and put a handgun in his pocket before he called police from behind a tree at the curb. Arbery left the house running toward the McMichaels’ home while Albenze was on the phone.
Albenze told the jury he called the police non-emergency number.
The defense asked Glynn County police Sgt. Roderic Nohilly if raising a gun would be an appropriate response to a fleeing suspect who refused verbal commands to stop.
"You’ll sometimes draw your weapon, won’t you?" attorney Franklin Hogue asked.
Nohilly replied: "I don’t just pull my gun."
Hogue then asked him what if the attacker is trying to take his gun away.
"At that point, it might meet the threshold, yes," the police sergeant said.
Day 5: ‘We don’t want any more Black pastors coming in here … trying to influence the jury'
Defense attorney doesn't want 'anymore Black pastors' in court during Ahmaud Arbery murder trial
Defense attorney Kevin Gough expressed his displeasure to the court during the fifth day of testimony in the trial against the three men charged in connection to the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Gough said having those pastors sit in the courtroom with the family was tantamount to jury intimidation.
Jurors heard more testimony from Satilla Shore residents and comments made by defense attorney Kevin Gough in response to the presence of pastor Al Sharpton in the courtroom.
"There’s only so many pastors they can have and if their pastor is Al Sharpton then that’s fine. That’s it. We don’t want any more Black pastors coming in here or Jesse Jackson or whoever that was earlier coming in here and sitting with the victim's family trying to influence the jury in this case," defense attorney Kevin Gough said.
"If we are going to start a precedent where we are going to have high profile members of the African-American community into the courtroom to sit with the family in the presence of the jury then I believe that’s intimidation and an attempt to pressure," Gough said.
Gough expressed his displeasure with Rev. Al Sharpton and other high-profile names sitting inside the courtroom throughout the trial.
"If folks came in here dressed as Colonel Sanders with white mask sitting in the back then…" Gough said before being stopped by the judge.
Judge Walmsley said he barely noticed Rev. Sharpton in the court and as long as there were no disruptions then he didn’t see an issue.
"I’m not going to blanketly exclude people from the public from this courtroom," Walmsley said.
The jury saw a recorded deposition with Larry English, who owned the unfinished home where many said they spotted Arbery before the shooting.
Day 6: Officers discusses Arbery's trespassing allegations
GBI agent who interview defendant testifies during Ahmaud Arbery murder trial
GBI Agent Jason Seacrist, who interrogated defendant William "Roddie" Bryan about why he felt he needed to get his keys and go search for Ahmaud Arbery testified during the sixth day of the trial against the men charged in connection to the death of Arbery. The court also got to see a re-enactment of that drive Agent Seacrist made with Bryan.
Glynn County police officer Robert Rash testified he planned to give Ahmaud Arbery a warning for trespassing for repeatedly entering a home under construction.
GBI Agent Jason Seacrist provided details of his interview with codefendant William Roddy Bryan.
"I asked what was it that made you decide to get your key and truck and see what’s going on. Mr. Bryan responded and said that he didn’t know," GBI Agent Jason Seacrist said.
Day 7: Defense attorney calls for mistrial
The state continued to call witnesses to begin the second week of the trial, including Seacrist.
Seacrist said Bryan's actions in his car did not match what he thought someone concerned for Arbery's safety would do.
"If Mr. Bryan was truly concerned about the safety of Mr. Arbery, he would have stayed to the right side of the road and stayed ahead instead of angling to the left to box him in," Seacrist said.
Rev. Jesse Jackson was present in the courtroom sitting next to Arbery's mother. One of the defense attorneys called for a mistrial, denied by Judge Timothy Walmsley.
Day 8: State rests, GBI medical examiner shows images of Arbery's autopsy
The state rested its case in Ahmaud Arbery's murder trial just before 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 after testimony picked up with the state showing images of Arbery's body while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's medical examiner explained his findings.
Arbery's mother was in court but excused herself. Members of the defendants' families also seemed disturbed.
Dr. Edmund Donoghue said two of the three shotgun rounds hit Arbery and both caused severe bleeding.
"Is there anything law enforcement or EMS could have done to save his life at the scene?" prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said.
"I don’t think so. No," Donoghue said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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