Law.com Daily Report: The witness testified the shooter was heard saying ”F–king [N-word]” standing over Arbery as he lay dying on the ground.
Special Agent in Charge Richard Dial told a story of three white men tracking Arbery as he ran—blocking him repeatedly from making turns that would have allowed him to continue on his path out of their subdivision across U.S.17 into his neighborhood.
The story Dial told—based on the GBI’s investigation—ended with the men trapping Arbery, 25, between two trucks, ordering him to “get on the ground” and then “killing him.”
Travis McMichael, 34, his father, Gregory McMichael, 64, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., 50 are all charged with murder in the death of Arbery on Feb. 23 in the Satilla Shores neighborhood near Brunswick. No arrests were made until May 7—after the release on social media of a video showing Arbery running, being confronted by two armed men, struggling briefly with one holding a shotgun, then dropping after three shots are heard.
After the release of the video on social media showing Arbery running, being confronted by two armed men, struggling briefly with one holding a shotgun, then dropping after three shots are heard.
The police have a much longer video than the portion Bryan and Greg McMichael arranged to have leaked, according to Dial’s testimony. Dial said Bryan repeatedly blocked Arbery’s path, preventing him from running toward his own home until finally his path was cut off by Greg McMichael’s truck in front of Bryan’s.
Whether the video also picked up the racial slur will be an important point going forward, according to criminal defense attorney Page Pate.
“That’s some devastating evidence, but we don’t know if it’s going to be admissible,” Pate said.
If all three defendants are tried together, Bryan will not have to testify, and the slur will become hearsay. If it’s on the video, it is admissible.