Last weekend, attorney Jason Sheffield said he expected the defense to call 30 witnesses and with testimony that would extend into early next week.
Race played a role both in and out of the courtroom, not only involving those on trial – the three defendants were white while Arbery was black – but in the proceedings surrounding the trial. , with defense attorneys opposing Black pastors sitting in the gallery.
One of the defendants testified on Tuesday
Prosecutors halted their case after eight days of testimony and 23 witnesses.
The report said 13 handgun rounds were fired from Arbery’s back, and another 11 were recovered from his injuries.
Without a jury present on Tuesday, Bryan testified about the conditions of his place of detention since his arrest last year, as part of the defense’s motion for reconsideration. involving a expeditious trial. Bryan said he is being held in a guard unit at the prison with limited access to showers and outside recreational activities and that he has lived in fear due to the pandemic. .
Judge Walmsley rejected the motion.
After the proceedings ended, Arbery’s mother said she was satisfied with the sentence handed down by the state and was “very worried” about the defense’s presentation.
Wanda Cooper-Jones said: “The (state’s) legal team presented a very strong case. They were able to provide very detailed information about what happened to Ahmaud on the day he was murdered. “.
When asked about the challenge of hearing the defense present her case, Cooper-Jones said it would be difficult but she would focus on the case the prosecution presented. “I think I’ll be fine,” she said.
Harsh objections from defense counsel over black pastor’s attendance
Sometimes attention during the trial has focused on an area that is starkly different from many murder trials: the public gallery.
“If we were to start a precedent, starting yesterday, where we would bring senior members of the African-American community into the courtroom to sit with the family during the trial in the presence of of the jury, I believe it is terrifying and it is an attempt to pressure – be it conscious or unconscious – an attempt to pressure or influence the jury,” said Gough. told the court on Thursday.
“How many pastors does that Arbery family have? We had Fr. Al Sharpton here early last week… I don’t know who Mr. Jackson, Father Jackson, is pastoring here,” Gough said.
“Sir, I pay homage to Reverend Jesse Jackson that it was no different for him to bring uniformed police officers or jailers into a small town where a young black man was forced to charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer or correcting an officer,” Gough said.
Seemingly annoyed with the defense’s repeated requests, Judge Walmsley said, “Mr. Gough at this point, I’m not exactly sure what you’re doing. I’ve made a judgment on the position. of this court regarding the gallery and with all faith., I didn’t even know that Father Jackson was in the courtroom until you initiated your proposal.”
The judge said the position of the court remained unchanged as long as no one attended caused any disruption. “It’s almost as if you’re trying to continue this for purposes other than just getting the court’s attention,” says Walmsley.
Prominent black pastor and activist Father William J. Barber II, who was in Brunswick last week, said he left a member of his organization there to be with the Arbery family. and call Sharpton for more ministers down in the coming days.
“He can say whatever he wants,” he told CNN, referencing Gough’s comments. “He has to understand, for me, I’m not a minister; first of all I’m a pastor. I’m everyone’s pastor. I have to go to families when they have someone killed and I sit in the house. courtroom.”
A local group, the Better Together Alliance, is scheduled to hold a vigil outside the courthouse Wednesday morning.
CNN’s Amir Vera, Jason Hanna, Joe Sutton, Jason Morris, Pamela Kirkland, Christina Maxouris, Delano Massey and Travis Caldwell contributed to this report.
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