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Attorneys have begun giving final words to a jury in the trial of three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia last year.
Travis McMichael, his father, Greg, and their neighbor William ‘Roddie’ Bryan have all been charged with Arbery’s murder.
The defendants say they are holding a lawful citizen under Georgia law. Travis McMichael, who shot Arbery, said he was acting in self-defence.
Defendant Travis McMichael testified under the cross-examination of prosecutor Linda Dunikoski at Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia last week.
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Sean Rayford / Getty Images
Defendant Travis McMichael testified under the cross-examination of prosecutor Linda Dunikoski at Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia last week.
Sean Rayford / Getty Images
The climactic shooting helped spark racial justice protests in the summer of 2020. All three defendants are white, and Arbery is black.
Travis McMichael defended him for two days last week, but attorneys for Greg McMichael and Bryan did not call any witnesses to defend them.
What fees does McMichael face?
A grand jury found Gregory and Travis McMichael and William Bryan on nine counts in Georgia State Court, including felony murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment.
The June 2020 indictment alleges the men used their pickup to chase and assault Arbery before killing him with a 12-round shotgun.
Who are the defendants in the case?
Gregory McMichael, 65, has worked in law enforcement for decades, including a long stint as an investigator for the district attorney’s office in Brunswick. After spotting Arbery, McMichael then alerted the police, who grabbed his .357 Magnum pistol and tell his son, “Travis, the guy’s running down the street. Let’s go.”
Travis McMichael, 35, fatally shot Arbery with a 12-round shotgun after chasing him in his Ford F-150 pickup. He is a former member of the Coast Guard.
William “Roddie” BryanThe 52-year-old neighbor jumped out of his Chevrolet Silverado pickup to help chase Arbery. He used his cell phone to record the final moments of the confrontation.
Ten weeks have passed between Arbery’s death and the first arrest in the case, after a video of the murder was made public.
Who are the judges, prosecutors and defenders?
Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley is presiding over the trial in Glynn County Court. The Eastern Judicial Circuit judge was brought to the case after all five judges in the Brunswick Judiciary were retrial. Walmsley was appointed to the bench in February 2012.
Chief Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski is a senior assistant district attorney in Cobb County, outside of Atlanta. She has in charge of the case in April, after two local prosecutors re-offended themselves.
Defense Attorney Kevin Gough of Brunswick has represented Bryan since his arrest. Attorney Jessica Burton of Atlanta was also on Bryan’s defense.
Defense Attorney Robert Rubin and Jason Sheffield representing Travis McMichael. They come from the same Atlanta-area law firm.
Laura’s defense attorney and Franklin Hogue, who is married, represents Greg McMichael. They are based in Macon, Ga., where they have dealt with many death cases.
Along with the state charges, a federal grand jury prosecuted McMichaels and Bryan on hate crimes charges in April.
Federal charges also include attempting to kidnap Arbery, and McMichaels is charged with using a firearm in a violent crime. A February trial date has been set for those charges.
NPR’s Bill Chappell contributed to this report.
