Travis McMichael told the court Wednesday that he wanted to give his perspective on what happened on the day Ahmaud Arbery died in a neighborhood in the Brunswick, Ga., area.
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Travis McMichael told the court Wednesday that he wanted to give his perspective on what happened on the day Ahmaud Arbery died in a neighborhood in the Brunswick, Ga., area.
Stephen B. Morton / Pool / Getty Images
Travis McMichael testified Wednesday in his murder trial in connection with the February 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery, as the defense begins the trial phase. NS prosecute resolved its case on Tuesday.
“I wanted to give the side of the story,” McMichael said, telling the court he wanted to explain what happened from his point of view. He is one of the three defendants.
First: discuss crime in Satilla Shores
In response to the first question from his defense attorney, Jason Sheffield, McMichael asserted that he knew he did not need to testify in his defense. Sheffield then asked him about the Satilla Shores neighborhood where he lived, and where McMichael and his father, Gregory, chased Arbery in a pickup truck before Travis McMichael shot him with a shotgun.
McMichael describes the neighborhood as friendly – but he adds that he hears about thefts and other crimes every few months. He said that his own car broke down several times.
“It got to the point where I would leave everything unlocked,” McMichael said.
With these questions in mind, the defense is seeking to bolster its description of the Satilla Shores as a neighborhood “under attack,” besieged by a host of criminals.
In early 2019, McMichael said, it was common for neighbors to compare stories of broken-in cars, whether in person or on a neighbor’s Facebook page. He and his relatives often remind each other to lock the door.
McMichael discussed his use of force training in the Coast Guard
Sheffield asked Travis McMichael about his time with the Coast Guard, when McMichael said his main job was as a mechanic – but his duties also included law enforcement and search and rescue operations. .
McMichael describes training as an officer-in-residence at the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy, adding that the role has earned him arrest warrants in the Coast Guard.
His attorney then asked McMichael about his training in the use of force, which included “continuous use of force,” from the first degree, such as an officer demonstrating presence. their, to the sixth level, “lethal force”.
McMichael said that although he frequently used methods in the lower steps of the continuous use of force, he never used a baton or used deadly force while serving.
Before the trial began, defense attorneys had planned to bring in law enforcement experts to testify on concepts such as use of force and probable cause. But prosecutors were successful in preventing that, saying such testimony was inappropriate because the McMichaels and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, were not acting as law enforcement officers. the law as they go after Arbery.
In making the state’s motion, Judge Walmsley cited a precedent that established juries could have about the same range of factors as an expert would weigh and make “as smart as each other of their own.”
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, “Guys Travis is 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.
