Ahmaud Arbery: 11 White Jurors & 1 Black Juror Chosen For Slain Jogger’s Murder Trial, Despite Protests – Despite the prosecution’s protests, jurors have been chosen for the upcoming Georgia murder trial in the death of Ahmaud Arbery.
Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley ruled this week that the trial of three men accused of murdering 25-year-old Arbery will have 11 White jurors and one Black juror. Walmsley said Wednesday that “intentional discrimination” by the suspects’ lawyers may have influenced the jury selection process, but he can’t intervene because of Georgia law.
According to Fox News, a heated debate happened on the last day of jury selection after lawyers for both the prosecution and defense finished their jury selection process. Prosecutor Linda Dunikosk argued that only one Black person made it onto the jury, claiming it had to do with race.
The defense argued that other potential jurors were removed for valid reasons that didn’t have anything to do with race.
“I can give you a race-neutral reason for any one of these,” defense lawyer Laura Hogue said, adding that the other Black jurors were dismissed following their answers given when questioned about the case.
Walmsley said that “there appears to be intentional discrimination in the panel,” but had limited power to change the jury at this point.
“They have been able to explain to the court why besides race those individuals were struck from the panel,” Walmsley said.
The jury and four alternates are scheduled to be sworn in on Friday when opening statements on the case begin.
Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, said she was devastated that only one Black person will be on the jury, but thinks that the evidence will speak for itself regardless.
“I’m very confident that they’ll make the right decision after seeing all the evidence,” she said
As CrimeOnline previously reported, in June 2020, Judge Wallace E. Harrell of Glynn County Magistrate Court ruled that enough probable cause exists to uphold murder charges against father and son, Greg and Travis McMichael, as well as their friend, William “Roddie” Bryan Jr.
Video recorded by Bryan in February 2020 allegedly showed the McMichaels chasing Arbery for several minutes around the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, while in their truck, before blocking him in. The McMichaels suspected that Arbery was responsible for a string of break-ins in the neighborhood, although they had no proof of their claims.
Bryan, who also pursued Arbery in his vehicle, blocked Arbery with his truck from behind as the McMichaels circled around the blocked and stopped in front of the victim, court documents state.
Travis McMichael then got out of his truck, armed with a shotgun. A scuffle broke out and Travis McMichael ended up shooting Arbery three times.
Arbery, unarmed, died at the scene.
