Man who filmed Ahmaud Arbery shooting makes first appearance on murder charges

ATLANTA - The man who shot the video of a deadly encounter that has been seen around the world went before a judge Friday afternoon.

William "Roddie" Bryan has been charged with felony murder and false imprisonment in the death of Ahmaud Arbery.

The 50-year-old suspect wore an orange jumpsuit and was handcuffed during the jail appearance. Bryan's attorney accused the Georgia Bureau of Investigation of playing political politics. He filed a motion for a speedy trial and bond Friday afternoon.

"He will not survive. He will lose his house. He will lose his car; he will lose everything unless he is released on bond. That is why we are this day filling a constitutional demand for a speedy trial," an insistent Kevin Gough declared.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AHMAUD ARBERY SHOOTING

Bryan is the third man now charged in the high-profile case that has stirred national emotions. GBI Director Vic Reynolds said the case against Bryan is solid.

"Not to speak on the facts, that will come out in a court of law, but if we believed he was a witness we would not have arrested him. There was probable cause and we are comfortable with that," Mr. Reynolds said with confidence.

Arbery is black, all three suspects are white. Former police officer Greg McMichael and his son Travis have also been charged in the case.

Attorneys for Arbery's family said the three men chased the jogger for 4 minutes before shooting and killing him.

The McMichael's have said they thought the 25-year-old was a burglary suspect.

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Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr assigned Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes to the high-profile case. Mrs. Holmes talked publicly about the case for the first time Friday.

'We have been grateful for the confidence Attorney General Chris Carr has put in our office. We are going to make sure we get justice in this case because we have a broken family and a broken community," the special prosecutor affirmed. 

Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was shot and killed while out jogging in a south Georgia neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2020.

GBI Director Reynolds said his office is still looking into prosecutorial misconduct regarding two South Georgia District attorneys who recused themselves from the case. Reynolds said his office is working with the US Justice Department in that investigation.

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