The judge will not change the racial composition of the jury in the trial for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery

BRUNSWICK, Ms. (AP) – A judge in the trial of three white men who hunted and killed Ahmaud Arbery on Wednesday he refused to overturn jury selection decisions, leaving only one black juror in the final composition of the 12, although he agreed with prosecutors that “there appears to be deliberate discrimination”.

Prosecutors have asked High Court Judge Timothy Walmsley to re-hire eight potential black jurors, arguing that defense attorneys excluded them from the final jury because of their race. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional for lawyers to hit potential jurors solely on the basis of race or ethnicity when choosing a jury.

Walmsley said he was limited in his ability to change the racial composition of the jury because advocates were able to cite non-racial reasons for their decisions to expel potential black jurors from the Senate.

Race is a central issue in the trial for the death of a 25-year-old Negro. Greg McMichael and his adult son Travis McMichael armed themselves and chased Arbery in the truck after spotting him running in their neighborhood. Neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan joined the hunt with his truck and recorded on his cell phone a shot of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery three times with a rifle.

After more than two weeks of jury selection, lawyers on both sides narrowed the senate of 48 potential jurors to a final jury on Wednesday 12.

Minutes later, prosecutor Linda Dunikoski challenged advocates’ decision to strike eight black jurors, claiming they were expelled from the Senate because of their race.

Laura Hogue, Greg McMichael’s attorney, denied that the black panelists ’match was taken into account in the decisions to exclude them from the jury.

“We have a very clear selection process on the defensive team and the issue of the race is not one of the factors,” Hogue said. “I can give you a racially neutral reason for any of these.”

She noted that one such juror, identified in court as No. 218, wrote in his juror questionnaire that Arbery had been shot “because of his color,” and told lawyers during the hearing that he believed the defendants were guilty. .

Dunikoski noted that many future jurors who had been heard in open court had expressed strong views on the case, but all those left in the group of 12 jurors said they could be impartial and justify the verdict. only on the evidence of the trial.

“The defense did not argue why this juror and her opinions differ from all others, black or white,” Dunikoski said of no. 218. “That’s what almost all the other jurors said. Many had opinions. And they said they could put them off.”

Walmsley, when issuing his decision not to change the composition of the jury, said advocates “were able to explain to the court why these individuals were excluded from the Senate in addition to the race.”

However, he said: “This court has found that there is clearly intentional discrimination in the Senate.”

The judge said the jury, along with four deputies, will sit and take the oath on Friday, when introductory remarks are expected at the trial.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in Glynn County, where Arbery was killed and on trial, blacks make up nearly 27% of the population of 85,000. The judge said 25% of the group from which the final jury was selected were black.

Arbery’s death became part of a broader account of racial injustice in the criminal justice system after a series of fateful encounters between blacks and police – including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks.

No one was blamed for Arbery’s death until more than two months later, when a video of the shooting leaked online. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took the case from local police and soon arrested all three men on charges of murder and other crimes.

Before the final jury sits, the lawyers in the criminal case are alternately excluded from the final group for virtually any reason. The end elimination process it consisted of a bailiff who exchanged a list of potential jurors between prosecutors and three defense teams. Lawyers quietly selected people from the jury list with a list.

Proponents say the McMichaels and Bryan did not commit any crimes. Arbery is said to have been filmed by security cameras at a nearby house and suspected of theft. Greg McMichael told police his son opened fire in self-defense after Arbery punched and clashed for Travis McMichael’s rifle.

Investigators said Arbery was unarmed and there was no evidence he stole anything.

The killing was prevalent in news and social media sources in Glynn County, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of Savannah. As a result, court officials have taken extraordinary steps in hopes of setting up an impartial jury.

They sent 1,000 notices of jury duty by mail, and during the jury selection, a judge and lawyers questioned nearly 200 people in court.

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