The jury in the #AhmaudArbery murder trial never heard evidence of alleged racist motives for the killing. During testimony, prosecutors never mentioned:
▪️ Confederate flag on killers' truck
▪️ 1 killer using racist slur as Arbery lay dying
Closing arguments are set for Monday.
Legal experts say prosecutors in the #AhmaudArbery trial may not have mentioned racial animus in testimony because of the jury's racial makeup.
▪️ 11/12 jurors are white (county is 27% Black)
▪️ Judge admitted defense may have used "intentional discrimination" in jury selection
These are the charges 3 white men face for chasing and killing #AhmaudArbery:
▪️ Malice murder: up to life in prison
▪️ Felony murder: up to life in prison
▪️ 2x Aggravated assault: up to 20 yrs each
▪️ False imprisonment: up to 10 yrs
▪️ Attempt to commit felony: up to 5 yrs
#AhmaudArbery's killers used a Civil War-era "citizen's arrest" law once used to justify slave patrols to defend chasing and killing him.
Police testified:
▪️ Killers were not deputized
▪️ No proof Arbery stole anything
▪️ Would have gotten a trespass warning if not killed
A lawyer for #AhmaudArbery's killers requested a mistrial on Monday, claiming there were armed protesters outside. (Open carry is legal in Georgia.)
Kevin Gough has requested a mistrial 7 times, previously over the presence of "Black pastors" and because Arbery's mother cried.
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