BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A GBI investigator said Thursday the third man charged in the Ahmaud Arbery murder, William Bryan, said he heard Travis McMichael say "f****** n-word" after shooting Arbery.
The GBI investigator's testimony comes as a preliminary hearing for Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael, and Bryan is ongoing in a Brunswick court.
Arbery was shot and killed in February by Travis McMichael, who accosted him while he was running down the street. Arbery's death is among the recent killings of black people by law enforcement or white individuals that have set off nationwide protests.
Stating that it would be an uncomfortable moment, the prosecutor told the investigator, "I'm going to ask you about a particular quote that Travis McMichael stated on the crime scene that was overheard by one of the defendants."
The investigator stated that Bryan told the GBI, "after the shooting took place and before police arrival, while Mr. Arbrery was on ground, he heard Travis McMichael make a statment "f****** n-word."
Later, the GBI investigator testified about social media posts showing Travis McMichael using the n-word, 11Alive's Andy Pierrotti reports.
The hearings began at 9:30 a.m. this morning and the court took a recess at roughly 11 a.m.
In Georgia, preliminary hearings are done before a judge who determines if there's probable cause to continue with the prosecution of the case. While the matter of guilt or innocence is not addressed at such a hearing, they frequently produce testimony that covers the basic facts of a case.
If the judge finds probable cause - which faces a far lower bar than the matter of guilt or innocence before a jury - it sets the stage for the case to proceed to a trial.
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