Ahmaud Arbery murder trial finishes day 2

Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Ga. holds murder trial of three white Georgia men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020. The trial began on Friday, November 5. (Michael Rivera/Wikimedia Commons)

Day two of testimonies in the murder trial of three white Georgia men accused of chasing down and killing Ahmaud Arbery went underway Monday morning.

Investigator Sheila Ramos described the evidence collected at the scene of Arbery’s shooting. The first police officer on the scene, former Glynn County Police officer Ricky Minshew, also took the stand for several hours.

The opening statements for the murder trial began last Friday.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Linda Dunikoski, showed graphic images and videos of Arbery entering a property under construction to show that Arbery had a routine running through the neighborhood.

On February 23, 2020, Ahmaud Arbery had been seen outside jogging when the three Georgia men, Gregory McMichael, his son Travis McMichael and their neighbor William Bryan suspected him of committing a series of break-ins in the neighborhood. The Georgia men called it a citizen's arrest.

The trial started with Dunikoski’s 95-minute opening statement telling the jurors why they were there. She stated, “All three of these defendants did everything they did based on assumptions … and they made decisions in their driveways based on those assumptions that took a young man's life.”

Among the visual evidence shown by Dunikoski was a cellphone video taken by Bryan showing the moment Arbery was trapped between the pickup trucks of the defendants. It was after this moment that Travis McMichael shot and killed Arbery.

The prosecutor also played a 911 call Gregory McMichael made after the shooting. Glynn County Officer William Duggan, the police officer on the scene, was the first witness who testified. He stated he heard shots fired and responded to the nearby location.

After the prosecutor’s opening statements, the first defense attorney Bob Rubin for Travis McMichael gave his opening statements. 

Rubin argued McMichael had a duty and responsibility and acted in self-defense. Rubin stated under the state’s citizens’ arrest law, the McMichaels had the right to hold Arbery.

Franklin Hogue, an attorney for Gregory McMichael said at the moment he was in fear of witnessing his only son shot and killed.

Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough decided to defer his opening statement until after the prosecution completes its case.

Day three of the murder trial will continue Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. EST.