Hundreds
demand justice for Arbery at Georgia rally
demand justice for Arbery at Georgia rally
Justice for Ahmaud Arbery, a black man killed during a
pursuit by a white man and his son in Georgia, isn’t just prison time for his
killers — it’s changes in a local justice system that never charged them with a
crime, rallygoers said Saturday.
pursuit by a white man and his son in Georgia, isn’t just prison time for his
killers — it’s changes in a local justice system that never charged them with a
crime, rallygoers said Saturday.
Hundreds of people came to the Glynn County courthouse
demanding accountability for a case in which charges weren’t filed until state
officials stepped in after a leaked video sparked national outrage.
demanding accountability for a case in which charges weren’t filed until state
officials stepped in after a leaked video sparked national outrage.
Arbery, 25, was killed Feb. 23 just outside the port city
of Brunswick. Gregory McMichael, 64, told police he and his son, Travis
McMichael, 34, pursued Arbery because they believed he was responsible for
recent break-ins in the neighborhood.
of Brunswick. Gregory McMichael, 64, told police he and his son, Travis
McMichael, 34, pursued Arbery because they believed he was responsible for
recent break-ins in the neighborhood.
The McMichaels weren’t arrested and charged with
murder until May 7, after a video of the shooting was publicly released to a
local radio station and less than 48 hours after state agents took over the
case.
murder until May 7, after a video of the shooting was publicly released to a
local radio station and less than 48 hours after state agents took over the
case.
“Justice for Ahmaud is more than just the arrests of
his killers,” said John Perry, president of the Brunswick NAACP chapter at the
Saturday rally. “Justice is saying that we’ve got to clean up the house of
Glynn County.”
his killers,” said John Perry, president of the Brunswick NAACP chapter at the
Saturday rally. “Justice is saying that we’ve got to clean up the house of
Glynn County.”
Speakers at the rally demanded the resignation of
Jackie Johnson, the district attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit who
recused herself from the investigation, and George Barnhill, the Waycross
circuit district attorney who took over the case and declined to press charges.
Gregory McMichael was an investigator in Johnson’s office before retiring last
May. Both Johnson and Barnhill have denied wrongdoing.
Jackie Johnson, the district attorney for the Brunswick Judicial Circuit who
recused herself from the investigation, and George Barnhill, the Waycross
circuit district attorney who took over the case and declined to press charges.
Gregory McMichael was an investigator in Johnson’s office before retiring last
May. Both Johnson and Barnhill have denied wrongdoing.
Organizers of the rally said around 250 vehicles drove
more than four hours from Atlanta for the rally, bringing historically black
fraternities and sororities, civil rights organizations and black-led gun
rights groups, who said if Arbery had armed himself, he might be alive today.
more than four hours from Atlanta for the rally, bringing historically black
fraternities and sororities, civil rights organizations and black-led gun
rights groups, who said if Arbery had armed himself, he might be alive today.
Attorney Mawuli Davis came from his suburban Atlanta
home because he wanted to make it clear how many people are not satisfied with
how the Arbery case has been handled.
home because he wanted to make it clear how many people are not satisfied with
how the Arbery case has been handled.
“Georgians are just not safe when you allow an injustice
like this to take place,” said Davis, who is an organizer with the Black Man
Lab in Decatur, Georgia.
like this to take place,” said Davis, who is an organizer with the Black Man
Lab in Decatur, Georgia.
The case has brought reminders of several other black
people killed in confrontations with white police officers or others and the
names of Trayvon Martin, Sandra
Bland and others were mentioned during the rally.
people killed in confrontations with white police officers or others and the
names of Trayvon Martin, Sandra
Bland and others were mentioned during the rally.
“We’re going to keep on marching. We’re going to stand
in solidarity. We’re going to keep on protesting. We’re going to keep on
raising our voices because Ahmaud Arbery will get justice,” said Triana
Arnold James, president of the Georgia chapter of the National Organization for
Women.
in solidarity. We’re going to keep on protesting. We’re going to keep on
raising our voices because Ahmaud Arbery will get justice,” said Triana
Arnold James, president of the Georgia chapter of the National Organization for
Women.
Organizers asked the crowd to wear masks and stay a
safe distance apart because of COVID-19. There were plenty of masks — some with
Arbery’s picture — but many in the crowd were shoulder to shoulder for the
rally and marched with arms locked after it was over.
safe distance apart because of COVID-19. There were plenty of masks — some with
Arbery’s picture — but many in the crowd were shoulder to shoulder for the
rally and marched with arms locked after it was over.
Arbery’s attorneys have said he’s the person recorded
inside a house under construction right before he was killed. Gregory McMichael
told police he suspected Arbery was responsible for recent break-ins and he
also said Arbery attacked his son before he was shot.
inside a house under construction right before he was killed. Gregory McMichael
told police he suspected Arbery was responsible for recent break-ins and he
also said Arbery attacked his son before he was shot.
Arbery’s mother has said she believes her son was
merely out jogging. The video of the confrontation shows the McMichaels’ truck
in front of Arbery as he runs toward it.
merely out jogging. The video of the confrontation shows the McMichaels’ truck
in front of Arbery as he runs toward it.
The attorney of the owner of the house under
construction said she thinks Arbery was getting water.
A man in similar clothes appeared in videos from the home at least twice,
lawyer J. Elizabeth Graddy said.
construction said she thinks Arbery was getting water.
A man in similar clothes appeared in videos from the home at least twice,
lawyer J. Elizabeth Graddy said.
The homeowner, Larry English, lives hours away and set
up motion-activated security cameras that send him a text when they start
filming.
up motion-activated security cameras that send him a text when they start
filming.
English called the Glynn County Police after one
notification Dec. 17. No one was arrested, but a detective sent English a text
message three days later giving him Gregory McMichael’s phone number and
identifying him as a retired law enforcement officer, adding “he said please
call him day or night when you get action on your camera,” according to the
Dec. 20 text shared by Graddy.
notification Dec. 17. No one was arrested, but a detective sent English a text
message three days later giving him Gregory McMichael’s phone number and
identifying him as a retired law enforcement officer, adding “he said please
call him day or night when you get action on your camera,” according to the
Dec. 20 text shared by Graddy.
English never read the text until Graddy’s firm started
reviewing his phone days ago.
reviewing his phone days ago.
“He never called Gregory McMichael. He never took him
up on that offer,” Graddy said.
up on that offer,” Graddy said.
The text message was first reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Arbery’s family ended Saturday’s rally thanking the
crowd for their support and saying “we are all running for Ahmaud.”
crowd for their support and saying “we are all running for Ahmaud.”
The crowd then marched away from the courthouse,
taking a knee in silence and blocking traffic for more than 60 seconds to
symbolize the days it took for arrests in the case.
taking a knee in silence and blocking traffic for more than 60 seconds to
symbolize the days it took for arrests in the case.
Then they chanted: “When black lives are under attack,
what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”
what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”
..Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina,
contributed to this report
contributed to this report
From Google News