Thread by @DavidBegnaud

NEWS: Graphic video appears to show Ahmaud Arbery, 25 of GA., whose family says he was out for a run, confronted by 2 men who shot him dead saying they thought he was a burglar. A prosecutor wants a grand jury to decide whether the men should be charged.

Here's the statement from the district attorney who was brought in to oversee the case and decide how and whether the case should be prosecuted.
Also, here's a news report about what happened: nytimes.com/aponline/2020/…

"McMichael told police they followed the running man & came to a stop beside him. He said his son, Travis McMichael, got out of the truck holding a shotgun when Arbery attacked him & Arbery got shot while wrestling for the gun, the police report said."
The video doesn't show that

One of the accused, "Gregory McMichael worked as an investigator in her office" - the office of the district attorney. That's why the D.A. recused herself.

Attorney Lee Merritt, who represents Arberys mother, claims "The series of events captured in this video confirm what all the evidence indicated prior to its release— Ahmaud Arbery was pursued by three white men that targeted him solely because of his race and murdered him..."

"...without justification. This is murder.”

This was Ahmaud.

There's no evidence, presented publicly thus far, that suggests the deceased was a suspect in a burglary. The men who killed Arbery are not in jail right now because the district attorney is, arguably, passing the buck to a grand jury to let them make the decision.

More details nytimes.com/aponline/2020/…

Read this: this is what the district attorney who recused himself thought about what she says are the facts in the case. I'm going to thread this, but you can also read it for yourself: shorturl.at/iJYZ0 (h/t @nycsouthpaw)
She knew there was pressure to make an arrest.

The DA said based on the autopsy, video, photographs, &
"witness statements taken immediately at the scene" that "We do not see grounds for an arrest of any of the three parties" int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

The DA wrote: "It appears Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and Bryan William were following, in
pursuit burglary suspect, with solid firsthand probable cause, in their neighborhood, and
asking/telling him to stop." int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

She quoted state law: "OCGA 17 -4 -60 A private person may arrest an offender if the offense is committed in his presence or within his
immediate knowledge .If the offense is a felony and the offender is escaping or attempting to escape, a private
person may arrest him upon..."

"...reasonable and probable grounds of suspicion .”

The DA went on to say: "It clearly appears Travis McMichael and Greg McMichael had firearms being carried in an open
fashion." int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"The investigation shows neither of them to be convicted felons or under felony supervision, they were in a motor vehicle owned by Travis McMichael." int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"The video made by William Bryan clearly shows the shooting in realtime. From said video it
appears Ahmaud Arbery was running along the right side of the McMichael truck then abruptly
turns 90 degrees to the left and attacks Travis McMichael who was standing at the front left.."

"...corner of the truck. A brief skirmish ensues in which it appear Arbery strikes McMichael and
appears to grab the shotgun and pull it from McMichael.
int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"The shot is through Arberys right
hand palm which is consistent with him grabbing and pulling the shotgun at the barrel tip , the
2nd and 3rd wounds are consistent with the struggle for the shotgun as depicted in the video..." int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"...the angle of the 2nd shot with the rear of the buttstock being pushed away and down from the fight
are also consistent with the upward angle of blood plume shown in the video and that McMichael
was attempting to push the gun away from Arbery..."

"...while Arbery was pulling it toward himself. The 3rd shot too appears to be in a struggle over the gun. The angle of the shots and the video show this was from the beginning or almost immediately became-- a fight over the shotgun."
int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"Given the fact Arbery initiated the fight, at the point Arbery grabbed the shotgun, under Georgia
Law, McMichael was allowed to use deadly force to protect himself."

Here's my question, he was being chased by armed men, is there an argument to be made: he was defending himself?

The DA went on to write: "Just as importantly, while we know McMichael had his finger on the trigger, we do not know who caused the firings."
int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"Arbery would only had to pull the shotgun approximately 1/ 16th to 1/ 8th of one inch to fire weapon himself and in the height of an altercation this is entirely
possible." int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"Arbery's mental health records & prior convictions help explain his apparent aggressive nature and his possible thought pattern to attack an armed man." The DA doesn't detail his prior convictions or mental health records. int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

Lastly, he said: "For the above and foregoing reason, itis our conclusion there is insufficient probable cause to issue arrest warrants at this time. int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

He concluded by saying: "As to any further issues on whether to present this to a Glynn County Grand jury, that will have to wait for the next District Attorney s review."
int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

"...Please consider this an OPEN file until that
decision is made and restrict the release of any information under Georgia Open Records
Act requests." int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

The video (which may be longer;can't say what we can't see) appears to show the men waiting for him, as Arbery jogs toward them. He doesn't appear to be running like a man who's trying to get away. The person recording seems to be trailing calmly, not driving mad after a suspect

Disregard that YouTube link. (It would be nice it twitter allow people to edit a post, but sadly they don't.) I don't where that came from. This is the link. int.nyt.com/data/documenth…

NEW: The attorney representing the family says Arbery was not armed and was not in possession of stolen material. He said the worst that can be said is that he allegedly stopped at a home that was under construction to look through a window.

https://twitter.com/davidbegnaud/status/1258132805395124225?s=21

https://twitter.com/davidbegnaud/status/1258132805395124225