Prosecution presents opening statements in trial for the death of Ahmaud Arbery

The trial of Travis and Greg McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddy” Bryan, which is expected to last up to 10 days, got underway Friday morning after three weeks of jury selection.
“Assumptions and driveway decisions.” According to state Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski, those two things fueled the fatal encounter between Ahmaud Arbery and the three men charged with his murder.
In a one-hour and 35-minute opening statement, Dunikoski showed the video of Arbery’s killing a handful of times and described the actions of the men using their own statements to police, describing how they “ran him into a ditch” and trapped Arbery “like a rat.”
“I thought, well, you know he’s running from somebody, he’s just done, something,” Travis McMichael told police.
“I don’t think the guy has actually stolen anything,” Greg McMichael told police.
But Travis McMichael’s attorney Bob Rubin countered, “This case is about duty and responsibility. It’s about Travis McMichaels’ duty and responsibility to himself to his family and to his neighborhood. And it’s about your duty and responsibility as jurors.”
In the first of three opening statements by the defense, Rubin noted that Arbery made four nighttime visits to the house under construction in Satilla Shores. He painted a portrait of a neighborhood experiencing escalating anxiety after a series of thefts and trespasses, and noted that neighbors had previously discussed trying to detain or “hem in” the suspect until police could arrive.
He described Arbery as the aggressor in the encounter, charging at Travis McMichael, whom he said raised his shotgun in an effort to stop him, not to kill him.
“Travis’ training had taught him to show a weapon. Not to use a weapon. Because that is a way to deescalate violence,” Rubin said.
Rubin noted that even as the chase was happening, the McMichaels dialed 911.
“Before the first shot is fired .. they called the police. That is not evidence of intent to murder.”
Opening statements from the other two defendants will continue into the afternoon.
Franklin Hogue, representing Greg McMichael, began his opening statement telling jurors his client was “absolutely sure, he was absolutely certain and he was absolutely right. The guy he saw was the guy he suspected” - someone who’d trespassed on the private property several times, that police were seeking to speak to, and who showed up in the neighborhood “not in the bright light of day but in the dark of night.”
Hogue said he relied on the fact that he was “law enforcement trained for 30 years.. and chased Arbery to hold him for police, not to shoot him.
“The what happened in this case will for the most part be without dispute. …The why it happened is what this case is about. This case turns on intent, belief, knowledge, and the reasons for those beliefs.”
“I consider an American courtroom to be practically a sacred place,” Hogue told jurors. “It’s in here that the facts will unfold for you. It’s in this room where you will decide the truth. And the truth is Greg McMichael is not guilty of any of these crimes.”
Kevin Gough, attorney for Roddie Bryan, waived his opening statement until the state finishes presenting their case, which is his right.
Evidence begins with Glynn County Police Officer William Duggan. Noting that his body cam footage “could in some ways be surprising or elicit some reaction,” the judge gives people an opportunity to leave. Arbery’s mom, Wanda Cooper Jones remains. Leigh McMichael, Travis McMichael's mom, leaves. Arbery’s father is not present.

[@twanamccullough8316]

THEY ASSUMED THE WORST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN PERIOD THATS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ASSUMED

[@flz9231]

Ironically he did have a history of theft .

[@clb_52]

Assuming is mother of all f**k ups

[@walker1033]

@@flz9231 ironical, they had zero proof of that and they were just being assholes lol

[@ynot7119]

@@flz9231 Greg Mcmichael wasn't certified to carry a gun for over 10 yrs.He wasn't allowed to carry a weapon because he was a sh*t face alcoholic.He was under the influence the day of the murder.This will all come out at the scumbag Jackie Johnson trail.

[@tammyslade9441]

@@flz9231 stop lying 🤣

[@Strawberries0000]

They Shot That BLACK Man In Cold Blood It's Clear As Day TF !! How u shoot someone with no proi they did a crime , they didn't even see the crime happened if he did do something 😒🤬🤦🏽‍♀️☹😣😑🙁😔😐

[@johnmar6376]

even if he had punishment is not death

[@ucantrun4ever461]

@Teabaggin Crakkkaz I like your style my brother!

[@zacharysmith7328]

When you act as neighbor hood vigilantes and take the law into your own hands, then murder a man without cause, then each defendant should be put behind bars for 30 years and I hope the mother sue the pants off the state of Georgia and the Georgia police department.

[@charlenelayhew4811]

This attorney is wonderful. Her closing statement is powerful. She presents the facts of the case in a perfect synchronized manner. I could listen to her for hours.

[@natalierush9480]

I feel so sorry for him. I know he was scared and outnumbered I hope they all get life.. just sick asf 🙏

[@benniecleveland7092]

The three killers were acting like overseers for slaves,this is 2022,and this stuff is still going on.

[@acenaraiki9707]

YOU GO STATE ATTORNEY. 👍 JOB.❣

[@murrayflewelling1258]

``He goes home to work on his porch`` LOL , I guess that is nice for who ever got his house since then , as sadly this broke him...:)) ..But at least he has a golden parachute , and rumor has it he just needs to toss the anchor on dumb and dumber and he is home free.

[@Lilspiccey1]

Wow they had to gather information after his death because they had nothing…

[@Strawberries0000]

EXTREMELY TRUE AF, Because they didn't see him commit to crime or have any evidence he did a crime ! They only shot him because he was BLACK in a WHITE neighborhood PERIODIT !!!!!

[@pamelagood4769]

Yes so true

[@Summerbreeze345]

Yup

[@justiceandpeace2668]

Good Job Prosecutor! This is plain and simple. It's funny how citizens get the laws twisted in their own minds. Justice is real and shall prevail! Trust and believe

[@linksfelix4264]

Sounds like the black truck that he tried to get into he was so frightened he was trying to get away not knowing the guy in the black truck new the two men with the guns I can just imagine the fear he was going through

[@murrayflewelling1258]

The best part of this case is the guy who filmed it is no fool , we are going to watch Karma in action , as that guy rolls over the McMichaels like he just met them on that day....lol

[@m.a2905]

Oh he’s a fool alright, he fooled himself thinking he could get a lawyer and pretend he did a good deed by giving up the tape.

[@ed.bedstuy217]

@@m.a2905 your right, he reached out of his own casket, to drive that last nail..

[@m.a2905]

@@ed.bedstuy217 ?

[@walker1033]

@@ed.bedstuy217 you’re right and they pulled the trigger to their own cell lol

[@valeriepringle8587]

Ķjjkkkkjjj

[@sizwe1131]

Wow I hope they get convicted

[@Bobby-sv8nv]

Killed in Cold blood that boy.

[@brookwest]

Everyone needs to recuse themselves because one thing I l'm confused about is why they never said you can't stalk someone and claim self defense when you are losing the fight.

[@murrayflewelling1258]

Not true, they have a plausible self defense case only if they could defend their citizen arrest rights. That ended today when info so damaging to the defense was allowed to be presented that one of the lawyers demanded a mistrial....LOL

[@tomhazi6935]

Now that these guys are serving their time I always wondered how they are doing and what there 3 meals are. I’m hoping there lives are extremely hard and scary and eating garbage for food

[@ckyung1312]

He gave them the video, case closed.

[@Marie70272]

I’ll bet Roddie Byrant is one sorry fool..he gave up his video of the crime thinking it was going to vindicate him.🤣🤣🤣..Well,it most certainly did, He should have stayed on his porch. When you don’t know where the ball is keep your foot on the damn base. Now,he’s spending the balance of his days in jail for a crime he could have avoided.No,he thought a Black man had committed a crime without any evidence. What fools ye mortals be!🤪

[@jerrellherringsr1891]

They need the Diet penalty

[@sizwe1131]

Amaud stayed in the neighborhood.

[@Pinky-lg3lz]

Watching him rush that gun is like seeing somebody step in front of a bus.

[@Rejoice01]

What does them chasing him down for nothing remind you of?

[@cameronno6039]

Not at all. A bus isn't likely to chase after you for turning. They chased after him and struck him multiple times. When you are attacked you can fight back or surrender. He chose the former which is courageous. We have zero reason to believe things would have been different had he chosen the latter.

[@eriv4735]

🤦‍♂️

[@eriv4735]

Cameron No Absolute FACTS

[@murrayflewelling1258]

All I know is someone needs to be an enormous piece of sh-7 to have just killed an unarmed man, stand over him and call him a fking N---.....As a member of the jury that would be good enough for me .

[@DearCult45cultist]

Ahmed Arbery was trying to swat the shotgun away. It just happened that Travis McMichael pulled the trigger at the exact time that Ahmaud made a swat a t the barrel of the shotgun to swat it away from himself.

[@walker1033]

It just happens if they actually called the cops beforehand then they wouldn’t be here

[@twanamccullough8316]

AND ASSUMED THEY WERE THE LAW AND ABOVE THE LAW PERIOD THEY DHOULD GAVE MIND THEIR BUSINESS SND CONTINUED TO FO WHAT THEY SUPPOSED SAY THE WERE DOING OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES BUT I BELIEVE THEY SEE HIM BEFORE THEY WERE ALL WAITING FOR HID RETURN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD

[@pamelagood4769]

Show the video to the world we want to see it come on with this bull show the 🌎 ok

[@joshfisher8105]

It's on utube

[@opnion2294]

Police wash criminals hand

[@MD-bp6mz]

Let the evidence be presented and then let the jurors decide. That is the fair thing to do.

[@smokewithsamshow2113]

You right

[@walker1033]

And it’s what’s happened lol

[@MD-bp6mz]

@@walker1033 Yes, fair trial and the verdict.

[@lewisjohnson3646]

I listened to this lawyer and she is not skilled. She is skimming over valuable points in this case. Im confused by her approach she has no legal team in the court room. Something isnt right about this case. i cannot even see or make sense of her visual demonstration.

[@MD-bp6mz]

I agree. The defense attorney did a better job of explaining the sequence of what happened.

[@alfredindy8058]

@@MD-bp6mz She has the video! That shows murder!

[@corrynthiaiam9205]

What? I disagree. She's getting through to the jurors ALREADY. How do you know? Because she's not using "big legal terms or words". She's speaking to them on a regular person playing field. And she has a powerful video. When the video showed Mr. Aubrey fall one of the jurors covered their face with "his" notebook..Me and a bunch of paralegals are covering this.

[@Summerbreeze345]

@@corrynthiaiam9205 I agree with you, I think her Opening Argument was impactful.

[@conniekeshet]

This is just her opening statement. Also there were problems with the video system, and obviously the court is not used to online streaming cases! I am guessing prosecution has a harder time cause its prosecuting 3 defendents at once. I admit i thought this wasnt such a good opening for her. However in other aspects in court she has been very good. She seems to be doing an excellent job, lol except for this long opening.