BRUNSWICK, Ga. — *The above video was originally published in February 23, 2021
Jury selection for three men accused in the death of Ahmaud Arbery begins Monday. Jury duty notices were sent to roughly one out of every 85 residents in Glynn County, where Arbery and the accused killers lived within 2 miles of each other.
Here's a timeline on the entire case with all of the pertinent information.
Feb. 23, 2020
- 1:08 p.m.: Arbery, 25, was shot to death while jogging in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick. Father and son Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael armed themselves and ran after Arbery later telling police they believed he was breaking into homes. The McMichaels' neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, filmed the killing. Bryan's cellphone video captured Travis McMichael shooting Arbery as he threw punches and grabbed for Travis McMichael's shotgun.
- The Glynn County Police Department is called to a report of shots fired and a man on the ground "bleeding out."
Feb. 24, 2020
Glynn County police say they are working closely with the District Attorney's office, who assigned a prosecutor to determine whether charges would be filed.
Feb. 26, 2020
The Brunswick News reports that Glynn County police are "keeping tight wraps" on their investigation into the shooting, only saying that the investigation was being held in conjunction with prosecutors with the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
Feb. 27, 2020
Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson turns the case over to Ware County District Attorney George Barnhill in Waycross, citing an unspecified conflict of interest.
Feb. 28, 2020
Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael are identified as two of the three men who were standing over Arbery's body when police arrived on the scene. Gregory McMichael worked for the Glynn County Police Department for seven years and worked as an investigator with the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for more than 20 years.
March 31, 2020
The Glynn County Police Department first releases its report on the shooting incident to the Brunswick News. It says Gregory McMichael saw a man he suspected of burglary sprinting down Satilla Drive on Feb. 23, 2020, then alerted his son Travis, and both men grabbed their guns and pursued Arbery. The report also says Gregory McMichael told police that Travis McMichael's shotgun fired twice as he and Arbery struggled over it. Gregory McMichael also told police they were concerned about alleged burglaries in the area and that surveillance video in the neighborhood had captured Arbery in "suspicious" circumstances. McMichael had a .357 magnum handgun and Travis McMichael had a shotgun, which they armed themselves with because they did not know if Arbery was armed or not, Gregory McMichael told police. Travis McMichael drove down Satilla Drive toward Burford Road, where they saw Arbery running. They tried to cut him off with the truck unsuccessfully twice before Gregory McMichael got into the bed of the truck and shouted to Arbery, "Stop, stop, we want to talk to you," according to the report. Travis McMichael pulled up beside Arbery and exited the vehicle with his shotgun, Gregory McMichael told police. He said he saw Arbery begin to "violently attack" his son and the two men started fighting over the shotgun, at which point Travis McMichael fired two shots, the report says. Arbery fell face down on the pavement with his hand under his body, and Gregory McMichael then searched Arbery for a gun, the report says. It does not say whether a gun was found. The police report says Arbery's blood was seen on McMichael's hands from rolling his body over.
April 2, 2020
Ware County District Attorney George Barnhill sends a letter to the Glynn County Police Department saying he believes the shooting was justified under self-defense and citizen’s arrest laws in Georgia. You can read the letter below.
April 7, 2020
- Ware County District Attorney George Barnhill recuses himself from the Arbery case, requesting the appointment of another district attorney in an email that outlines the reasons for his recusal. He says that his son works as an assistant district attorney in Glynn County, under Jackie Johnson, who had also recused herself from the case previously.
- Barnhill also says that his son "and Greg McMichael both helped with the previous prosecution of Arbery" on his juvenile and adult criminal history. The email also says there is video of Arbery burglarizing a home immediately prior to the chase, confrontation and shooting, as well as "decent cellphone video of the entire shooting incident."
April 14, 2020
Liberty County District Attorney Tom Durden is assigned the Arbery case.
April 29, 2020
The GBI investigates allegations of threats against the Glynn County Police Department and individuals involved in the active investigation.
May 2, 2020
The Southern Poverty Law Center calls for federal oversight in the investigation.
May 5, 2020
- Leaked cellphone video of the shooting goes viral. The video shows a Black man, later identified as Arbery, running down a road in the Satilla Shores neighborhood. There is a white pickup truck stopped ahead of him, where one man, later identified as Gregory McMichael, is standing in the bed of the truck. The driver door is open. The driver, later identified as Travis McMichael, gets out of the vehicle and a struggle ensues between him and Arbery. Shots can be heard firing before the man in the bed of the truck draws a gun. Another shot can be heard before Arbery collapses onto the road.
- The video's release and the widespread shares it garnered on social media spurs protests across the Glynn County community and in Jacksonville. Marchers gather at a makeshift memorial for Arbery, chanting "I run with Maud."
- Nationwide outrage made waves on social media, with NBA star LeBron James tweeting "We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes! ... I’m sorry Ahmaud(Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent."
- An attorney for Arbery's family says District Attorney Tom Durden plans to take the case to a grand jury, which could decide whether to charge Gregory and Travis McMichael.
May 6, 2020
Arbery's parents join their attorneys for a news conference calling for the arrests of Gregory and Travis McMichael.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation issues a statement saying Durden’s office requested the GBI look into the shooting.
May 7, 2020
- Then-presidential candidate Joe Biden attends a roundtable with African American leaders in Jacksonville, where he calls Arbery's shooting "vicious" and says "Ahmaud should be alive today."
- Alan Tucker, a Brunswick defense attorney, says he is the one who released the video of Arbery's shooting, because he wanted to show the public exactly what happened that day. He says he got the video from a neighbor who was following Arbery. Tucker says police had the video since the day of the shooting.
- Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael are arrested by the GBI on charges of murder and aggravated assault in Arbery's shooting death. They are booked into the Glynn County Jail.
May 8, 2020
- Then-President Donald Trump offers condolences to Arbery's family and friends in an interview with Fox News Channel, describing the shooting video as "very, very disturbing," "heartbreaking" and "very rough, rough stuff."
- A judge does not set bond for Gregory or Travis McMichael when they appear for a first appearance from inside the Glynn County Jail.
- GBI director Vic Reynolds says it only took 36 hours after being requested to investigate Arbery's death to find probable cause to arrest the McMichaels. He also says the agency is investigating the person who shot the video of the shooting to determine whether another arrest is warranted.
- Glynn County Commissioner Peter Murphy says DA Jackie Johnson stopped Glynn County Police from arresting Gregory and Travis McMichael. He says Johnson went straight to Ware County DA George Barnhill rather than going through the state attorney general's office to hand off the case. He also says representatives from the DA's office told police not to arrest the McMichaels. Johnson denies that claim.
- Arbery's family and community leaders hold a rally on the courthouse steps in Brunswick, demanding justice in his death and an overhaul of the justice system in Southeast Georgia.
May 9, 2020
- Arbery would have turned 26 years old. His family celebrates with a balloon release at Sidney Lanier Park. Thousands of people attend.
- About 150 people gather in front of the Duval County Courthouse in Jacksonville to protest Arbery's murder.
- New video obtained by First Coast News shows a man identified as Arbery entering a home under construction, walking around and leaving shortly before he was shot and killed. In the video below, which is 22 minutes long, the man is first seen entering the frame at 13:31.
May 10, 2020
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr requests the U.S. Department of Justice investigate the handling of Arbery's case.
May 11, 2020
- New surveillance video from inside of a home under construction is released, appearing to show Arbery looking around inside the same day he was killed. The homeowners sent the video to ABC News, along with a statement saying they want Arbery's parents to know they are very sorry for the loss of their son and they are praying for them. The statement also says the homeowners had nothing to do with the McMichaels' actions.
- Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes is assigned to the Arbery case, the fourth prosecutor to be involved.
- The Anti-Defamation League joins a growing number of voices calling for the state of Georgia to pass hate crime legislation, saying Arbery's shooting death was racially motivated.
May 12, 2020
Georgia state representative Al Williams led a call to pass a hate crime bill, which may be renamed to the “Ahmaud Arbery” law in the 25-year-old’s memory.
May 13, 2020
William "Roddie" Bryan, the man who took the cellphone video of Arbery's shooting, retains attorney Kevin Gough to represent him in regard to his role in the case. Gough says Bryan is innocent, and that's why he was quick to share his video with police.
May 14, 2020
- The attorney representing Travis McMichael holds a news conference, saying he "has a presumption of innocence, that presumption of innocence follows him from now through the course of this trial until and unless a jury decides whether or not he is innocent."
- A 911 call from Feb. 11 is released, revealing Travis McMichael had called the police about a confrontation with a "Black male" who he said had entered a home under construction. In the call, McMichael says he confronted the man, who appeared to reach for a weapon when he stuck his hand in his left pocket and then ran into the home. The call appears to align with surveillance video from the same night from the home showing a man who appears to look like Arbery walking through the house.
- Brunswick native and artist Marvin Weeks paints a work of art memorializing Arbery, a mural in downtown Brunswick. Weeks says he hopes the painting can lead to improved race relations in the city.
May 15, 2020
- Gregory McMichael's legal team says new evidence will change the narrative of the case. He says there is more than one video of the shooting and that "this is not just another act of violent racism."
- A grand jury report and criminal indictment of the Glynn County Police Chief and several high-ranking officers highlights the Arbery case as just the latest in a string of cases raising concerns about a history of toxic culture and cover-ups within Glynn County law enforcement.
May 16, 2020
Protestors rally in Brunswick to demand the resignations of district attorneys Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill for the way they handled Arbery's shooting death.
May 18, 2020
Bryan's attorney says he has received death threats because of the video, and agitation by the Arbery family attorneys.
May 19, 2020
A UK-based tabloid reports that Travis McMichael's sister, Lindsay McMichael, admitted to posted a picture of Arbery's body on Snapchat following the deadly shooting, saying she is a "huge fan of true crime" and calling it "absolutely poor judgement."
May 20, 2020
Judge Timothy Walmsley, a Chatham County superior court judge, is assigned to the Ahmaud Arbery murder case.
May 21, 2020
William "Roddie" Bryan, the man who recorded the cellphone video of Arbery's deadly shooting, is arrested and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment in Arbery's death.
May 25, 2020
The Department of Justice begins an investigation into the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, as well as the two district attorneys who recused themselves from the case, according to Arbery's family attorney S. Lee Merritt.
May 27, 2020
Brunswick DA Jackie Johnson sends two Glynn County commissioners cease-and-desist letters on discussing the Arbery case. She says statements about her office and its involvement in the Arbery case are false.
May 30, 2020
Demonstrators gather in Jacksonville to protest police treatment of African Americans in the city and across the country, including the deaths of Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The protests coincide with others taking place nationwide. The demonstrations continue for days, prompting the city to implement a city-wide 8 p.m. curfew.
June 4, 2020
Gregory and Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan have their first preliminary hearing in Glynn County court. The lead GBI investigator testifies, saying Bryan struck Arbery with his truck and that Arbery's handprints and shirt fibers were found on the vehicle, which was dented from the impact. He also says a witness told investigators that Travis McMichael used a racial slur as Arbery lay on the ground, dying. The magistrate judge finds probable cause in the murder charges against all three men and sends the cases to superior court.
June 23, 2020
- Glynn County community members release a music video calling for DA Jackie Johnson to resign. Travis Slim Riddle, of Brunswick, says he wants to reach the younger generation, asking them to continue to call for justice for Arbery.
- The Georgia legislature passes a bipartisan hate crimes bill, imposing additional penalties for crimes motivated by a person's race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signs the bill into law three days later.
June 24, 2020
Cobb County DA Joyette Holmes announces the formal indictments against Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and Bryan in the shooting death of Arbery. They face nine charges each, including malice murder; felony murder (four counts); aggravated assault (two counts); false imprisonment; and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
July 10, 2020
Demonstrators in Brunswick hold a protest demanding the removal of Waycross Judicial Circuit DA Barnhill from office, saying he is one of a few who may be responsible for a delay in justice over Arbery's death.
July 17, 2020
- William "Roddie" Bryan is also the subject of a sex crime investigation, the GBI says via Twitter, and the state argues that he would pose a flight risk if granted bond.
- A judge denies bond for all three men accused in Arbery's death. All three men enter not guilty pleas.
July 22, 2020
The attorney for Arbery's family announces plans for a civil suit against Glynn County, stating "Glynn County shares liability in Arbery's murder."
Aug. 6, 2020
Attorneys for Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael file motions seeking bond, saying they are "excellent candidates for a low bond." Arbery's family attorney says the men should spend the rest of their lives in jail. The McMichaels' attorneys also file two motions asking for the malice murder and criminal attempt to commit a felony charges to be dropped.
Aug. 17, 2020
The Brunswick NAACP introduces reform proposals for the Glynn County Police Department after a referendum is proposed for the November ballot whether to dissolve the agency.
Aug. 23, 2020
Six months after Arbery's death, his father and community members hold a community bike ride at Howard Coffin Park in solidarity for calls for justice for Ahmaud.
Aug. 24, 2020
The Glynn County Board of Elections announces a special election for voters to decide whether the Glynn County Police Department should be dissolved in the wake of its handling of the Ahmaud Arbery investigation, as well as other issues that put the department under the microscope even before the February shooting.
Sept. 11, 2020
A judge rules the referendum that would allow Glynn County voters to decide whether to abolish the Glynn County Police Department and fold it into the Glynn County Sheriff's Office is unconstitutional, issuing an injunction keeping it off the ballot in November.
Oct. 10, 2020
A bond hearing for Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael is scheduled for Nov. 12, 2020, attorneys arguing they are not a threat to the public nor a flight risk.
Nov. 3, 2020
Voters elect to replace Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson, who has faced criticism over her handling of the investigation into Arbery's shooting death. Independent Keith Higgins is elected to replace Johnson.
Nov. 11, 2020
Demonstrators march through downtown Brunswick one day ahead of the McMichaels' scheduled bond hearing, demanding no bond be set for the accused killers.
Nov. 13, 2020
A judge denies bond for Gregory and Travis McMichael after their bond hearing reveals new evidence in the case surrounding Ahmaud Arbery's death. New phone records revealed Greg McMichael tried calling his former boss, Brunswick DA Jackie Johnson, the day of the shooting. Another phone call played in the court showed that Greg McMichael told a friend the shooting was a "good deed." In the hearing, text messages allegedly sent by Travis McMichael where he used racial slurs were also introduced, in which said he would shoot "a crackhead (expletive) with gold teeth" with a pistol.
Dec. 16, 2020
New police body camera footage is released, showing the three men charged in his death admitting to chasing Ahmaud Arbery.
Dec. 17, 2020
- First Coast News obtains jailhouse phone call recordings from Gregory and Travis McMichael to friends and family members. In one call, Gregory McMichael says “This narrative that we shot a Black kid for running through a white neighborhood is absolute bull****, absolute f****** bull****." In another, he says “You’ve heard the saying that no good deed goes unpunished? Hahaha."
- More newly released police footage shows police interviews with all three men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery. Travis McMichael, the suspect seen on cellphone video firing the fatal shots, tells police "If he would have stopped, this wouldn't have happened," as his face, hands and arms are covered with Arbery's blood. The video also includes graphic images of Arbery's lifeless body after he was shot multiple times. The footage shows Arbery was still breathing and moving when officers arrived on the scene, but did not check for vital signs or render aid for nearly three minutes after their arrival.
Dec. 30, 2020
Attorneys for Gregory and Travis McMichael file motions to exclude recorded phone calls the McMichaels made while in the county jail; to place a limit to only using one living photo of Ahmaud Arbery during the trial and banning the use of the word "victim" to describe Arbery; and claiming there is no concession that any crime took place. Attorneys for Arbery's family call these motions "bizarre."
Dec. 31, 2020
The attorney for William "Roddie" Bryan files a motion requesting his client be released from jail while awaiting trial due to his blood pressure being uncontrollably high. "Assuming he survives long enough to have a trial, Mr. Bryan's ability to attend, follow along and participate meaningfully in his own trial would be greatly impaired if this issue is not addressed," the hearing request says.
Jan. 21, 2021
Bryan's attorney files a motion claiming prosecutors are violating his right to a speedy trial. He is also challenging whether the Glynn County Courts system is moving aggressively enough to function during the pandemic.
Jan. 28, 2021
A judge denies Bryan's attorney's request for a second bond hearing.
Feb. 16, 2021
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announces a plan to abolish the state's citizen's arrest law. The statute was initially used to justify Ahmaud Arbery's death in February 2020. Kemp calls the shooting horrific and says it is high time to get rid of the law.
Feb. 22, 2021
Ahmaud Arbery's mother reflects on the last year approaching the one-year mark since her son's death. “What happened in February last year changed my life. When I lost Ahmaud, I lost a part of myself,” Wanda Cooper-Jones told First Coast News.
Feb. 23, 2021
- Ahmaud Arbery's father shares his grief with First Coast News on the one-year anniversary of his son's death. "When you killed my youngest kid, my whole life changed," Marcus Arbery said. "I'm not even the same man anymore."
- Attorneys file a federal lawsuit on the one-year anniversary of Arbery’s death claiming the men who allegedly murdered him violated his civil rights.
- Family and friends gather for a vigil at New Springfield Baptist Church in Waynesboro, Georgia, just steps away from Arbery's final resting place, to share their grief and celebrate Arbery's life one year after the shooting.
- About 100 people walk the route through Satilla Shores that Arbery ran one year ago on the day he was shot and killed. The memorial walk and candlelight vigil, called "Finish the Run," is held by The 2:23 Foundation, a nonprofit formed after Arbery's death focusing on social justice advocacy.
Feb. 25, 2021
Civil Rights Lawyer Lee Merritt accuses the 2:23 Foundation of "robbing" donors of $226,000 after allegedly agreeing to a cease-and-desist by the family's attorney. Merritt says Cooper-Jones wants to own her son's name and legacy. The foundation responds, saying they made their intentions clear with Wanda Cooper-Jones and her attorneys. They say the foundation is not raising money in Arbery's name, but with the goal of pursuing social justice in Glynn County.
March 8, 2021
The Georgia House votes unanimously on a bill to overhaul the state's citizen's arrest law following Ahmaud Arbery's death. House members vote 173-0 for the bill, which would generally bar bystanders and witnesses from making arrests. It now goes to the Senate.
March 12, 2021
The attorney for William "Roddie" Bryan files a motion asking the judge to proactively help potential jurors in the case get vaccinated against COVID-19. Another motion accuses prosecutors of deliberately dragging out their investigation, asking the judge to force them to wrap things up.
March 22, 2021
Hearing dates are set for the three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery to appear virtually before a judge in May to discuss several motions filed by their defense attorneys. Among the motions to be discussed include calls to disqualify the prosecutor and introducing evidence that defense attorneys say shows Arbery used jogging as a cover to commit crimes. Family and friends say Arbery often jogged as a form of therapy.
April 19, 2021
Attorneys for Gregory and Travis McMichael are asking the judge to allow the two to be "present in the courtroom at each and every further stage of the proceeding." Glynn County court proceedings, like most courts in the region, have been conducted largely virtually amid the COVID-29 pandemic.
April 28, 2021
- The lead prosecutor in the case against the three men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery resigns his position with the Cobb County District Attorney's Office. Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jesse Evans did not provide a date or a reason for his resignation. Cobb County Assistant District Attorney Linda Dunikoski will step in as the lead prosecutor in the case.
- A federal grand jury indicts Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan with hate crimes and the attempted kidnapping of Ahmaud Arbery, as well as charging two of the three men with separate counts of using firearms during that crime of violence.
April 29, 2021
After a disagreement earlier in the year, the 2:23 Foundation reaches an amicable resolution with Ahmaud Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones. The foundation agrees to phase out its usage of the 2:23 Foundation mark and donate the monies raised through their virtual run and merchandise sales to Coopoer-Jones' newly established foundation in honor of her son.
May 7, 2021
The trial for the three men accused of murder in Arbery's death is scheduled for Oct. 18.
May 10, 2021
Gov. Brian Kemp signs a repeal of Georgia's Civil War-era citizen's arrest law.
May 11, 2021
Arbery's accused killers plead not guilty to federal hate crimes.
May 12, 2021
Defense attorneys argue Arbery's past played a role in his killing and ask a judge to allow evidence about the late 25-year-old's character, including his mental health and prior brushes with the law. Prosecutors say Arbery's prior actions have nothing to do with his murder.
June 9, 2021
Attorneys for Gregory and Travis McMichael file a brief in support of an earlier motion to introduce Arbery's past conduct, including mental health records and treatment as well as prior brushes with the law, into evidence. They claim Arbery was "not running for pleasure or health" and did not act in self-defense but was an "attacker" in the confrontation leading to his shooting death.
June 19, 2021
A grand jury begins a review of former prosecutor Jackie Johnson, who was ousted by voters following her handling of the Arbery investigation.
July 1, 2021
Prosecutors file a motion asking the judge to prohibit the defense from admitting evidence pertaining to Arbery's mental health or drug use, because they say it has no bearing on what occurred.
July 2, 2021
Prosecutors file a flurry of new motions, including requesting the judge allow a 3-hour closing argument (one hour longer than allowed) and to show jurors the cellphone video of Arbery's killing during opening statements. Prosecutors also want to bar testimony about the opinion of an earlier District Attorney assigned to the case who said the fatal shooting was justified.
July 16, 2021
Defense attorneys file new motions requesting to question jurors individually about their exposure to the case and barring media from being present during those interrogations. The filings are also requesting to ask prospective jurors whether they participated in demonstrations following Arbery's death, what slogans they may have chanted and whether they held signs with messages.
July 22, 2021
Superior Judge Timothy Walmsley remains committed to a trial date of Oct. 18 during a pretrial hearing for the three men accused in Arbery's death. Prosecutors complain that the defense has failed to provide witness lists, transcripts or in some cases even responses to questions as both sides prepare for trial.
July 26, 2021
The second hearing in the federal hate crimes case against Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan takes place. The defense asks the judge for more time to review 75 gigabytes of evidence turned over by prosecutors, saying a technical issue has prevented them from accessing the evidence. The judge agreed to the defense's request and will schedule another status hearing in 30 to 60 days.
Aug. 25, 2021
A federal judge schedules the trial for Gregory and Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan, charged with hate crimes in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, for Feb. 7, 2022.
Aug. 30, 2021
The judge orders that Arbery's past run-ins with law enforcement can not be used by the defense as evidence at trial.
Aug. 31, 2021
A new order provides for a key witness in the case to be deposed ahead of the Oct. 18 trial date. Larry English will give a recorded testimony due to health issues that could prevent him from being able to testify at trial. He owned the home under construction that Arbery is seen entering on surveillance video on Feb. 23, 2020, shortly before he was shot and killed. English's attorney says her client did not believe Arbery was doing anything wrong and "would never have wanted a vigilante response."
Sept. 2, 2021
Former Brunswick DA Jackie Johnson is indicted on charges related to the investigation surrounding Arbery's death. The indictment accuses Johnson of violating her oath of office by "showing favor to Greg McMichael during the investigation." She is also accused of obstructing law enforcement when she directed officers with Glynn County Police not to place Travis McMichael under arrest, according to the indictment.
Sept. 8, 2021
Johnson turns herself in at the Glynn County Jail on one charge of violation of oath by a public officer and one count of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers. She is booked and released within 35 minutes. She is released on her own recognizance.
Sept. 9, 2021
A federal judge holds a status hearing virtually in the hate crime case against the two McMichael men and Bryan. Prosecutors tell the judge they need to give the defense another batch of discovery that will take a couple of weeks to provide. The defense says they're concerned whether they will have enough time to review that evidence before the next deadline for all motions to be filed prior to the pretrial conference. The judge sets a status conference for Sept. 30 and moves a motions hearing in November.
Sept. 19, 2021
Prosecutors ask the judge in the criminal trial of Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan to impose a gag order that would prohibit lawyers in the case from making any statements about the facts or evidence in the case or anything that occurs in court or from providing any interviews or written information to the media. The motion cites concerns about "nightly interviews" and "improper comments" from the attorneys representing the three defendants accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery.
Sept. 30, 2021
Attorneys for Gregory and Travis McMichael ask the judge in the state's murder case to ban images during the trial that show a vanity license plate on Travis McMichael's truck. The plate includes the image of a Confederate flag on the front of the pickup truck that was used to chase Arbery before he was shot and killed. The McMichaels' attorneys say they license plate on the truck "is not relevant and would be prejudicial" in the motion.
Oct. 1, 2021
A judge rules Ahmaud Arbery’s mental health records can’t be used as evidence for the defense team of the men accused of murder in his shooting death, limiting their efforts to portray the 25-year-old as an aggressive young man with a troubled past when the case goes to trial, the Associated Press reports.
Oct. 6, 2021
Prosecution and defense teams in the hate crimes case against Arbery's three accused killers say more discovery is expected in the state's murder case and ask the judge to extend the deadline for pretrial motions in the federal case. The judge says he will consider the request, but does not want to move the actual federal trial date, set for February 2022.
