Travis and Greg McMichael, the father and son duo accused of chasing and killing Ahmaud Arbery in Feb. 2020, are preparing to go on trial. As the pair take the stand, they will be looking to clear their names from charges of federal hate crimes and attempted kidnapping.
Arbery's representatives, however, are looking to prove that the father and son were motivated by prejudice when they chased the 25-year-old Black man after suspecting him of burglary. Prosecutors are also aiming to prove that the young man was only jogging and hadn't done anything wrong, as Blavity previously reported.
Here are six things to know ahead of the trial, which will begin with jury selection on Oct. 18.
The defendants say the Confederate emblem on their license plate is irrelevant.
As they prepare for the trial, the defendants are asking the court to decline a photo of their license plate that could be used as evidence against them, NBC News reports. The McMichaels said the Confederate emblem on the license plate of the pickup truck they used to pursue Arbery "is not relevant and would be prejudicial."
"This vanity plate was on the truck at the time of the homicide," prosecutors wrote. "The jury may interpret that evidence in any way they deem appropriate and the State may make reasonable inferences, in closing argument, drawn from the evidence."
Update: Travis McMichael who murdered Ahmaud Arbery with his father — is asking that photos of his confederate license plate be banned from evidence in his trial because it would "prejudice the jury against him." https://t.co/aM70T4s5f3
pic.twitter.com/1sDpo4zB31— The Walker Collective (@AFirm4Creatives) October 7, 2021
William "Roddie" Bryan joined the father and son during the chase.
William "Roddie" Bryan, who is also facing charges after the shooting, recorded video of the incident. Bryan was arrested with the duo months later. But he says he didn't have anything to do with the crime.
“I truthfully need to be cleared of this because I had nothing to do with it,” Bryan told Action News Jax in May.
Body camera footage also revealed remarks from Bryan, who is heard telling police that he tried to block Arbery as the McMichaels chased him.
“When I see him, I knew, hate that people were getting broken into out here, you know. So, I hollered at them and said, ‘Y’all got him?’ And he just kept running. He was full-blown running,” Bryan told police. "They got down to the end down there somewhere, must’ve past him. Because I pulled out of my driveway, was going to try to block him. But he was going all around. I made a few moves at him, you know. And he didn’t stop.”
Bryan is charged with felony murder, along with the McMichaels.
The McMichaels said Travis acted in self-defense.
Travis said he feared for his life when he fired at the 25-year-old.
“Last thing I ever want to do in my life,” he said. “I was playing with my kid, the next thing you know, this.”
Gregory adds that he urged his son not to shoot. He also said that Arbery tried to wrestle for the gun.
“I said, ‘Travis, don’t! Don’t shoot! Don’t do anything!’” the father said. “The guy turns and comes at him! And they start wrestling and Travis shoots him right in the damn chest! The guy was trying to take the shotgun away from him! [Roddie’s] got it on video.”
The defendants believe they had a right to pursue Arbery.
The McMichaels' attorneys said the duo didn't commit a crime when they chased Arbery through a suburban neighborhood outside of Brunswick, Georgia, after suspecting him of stealing from a construction site.
"There is absolutely nothing in the indictment that identifies how this is a federal hate crime and it ignores without apology that Georgia law allows a citizen to detain a person who was committing burglaries until police arrive," attorneys Bob Rubin and Jason Sheffield told NPR earlier this year.
While the incidents caused national outrage and inspired many advocates to protest, the defendants' lawyers said, "The Justice Department bought the false narrative that the media and state prosecutors have promulgated."
Travis allegedly used a racist slur on the scene.
Travis is accused of using a racist slur shortly after he fatally shot Arbery. According to NPR, it was Bryan who told investigators that Travis used a racial epithet at the scene.
Travis, according to Bryan's statement to police, said "f**king n***er" after shooting Arbery three times.
Richard Dial, a special agent with GBI and the lead investigator in the case, said the defendant also used the word n***er "many times" on Instagram and in messages sent from his phone.
Arbery‘s mental health records will not be used as evidence.
The court has determined that Arbery‘s mental health records can't be used as evidence during the trial. Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley said the court is obligated to respect the medical privacy of Arbery. The ruling also negates the defense team’s efforts to portray the 25-year-old as an aggressive man with a troubled past.
