Thread by @MissVWaters

AUSA Bobbi Bernstein begins Government's opening statement: I want to talk to you about what turned out to be the last day of #AhmaudArbery's life. He put on shorts, running shoes, ended up on the public streets Satilla Shores on the Brunswick riverfront. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: A few minutes after running past the McMichaels' driveway minding his business, #AhmaudArbery was lying facedown in the street, bleeding out from gunshot wounds and gasping his final breath. @wsbradio

Gov't: Much of what got us here is not in dispute; what's at issue is WHY. This does not require proof of hate; it requires proof that the defendants acted because of #AhmaudArbery's race. They made assumptions based on his color they wouldn't have made if he was white @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: They assumed, because of his color, #AhmaudArbery had to be in Satilla Shores to commit crimes. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: It's about why defendants did what they did, why the McMichaels had it out for #AhmaudArbery even though they'd never met him and why Bryan so willingly jumped into the middle of something he knew absolutely nothing about @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: Travis McMichael messaged a friend that he loved his contractor job because "Zero niggers work with me…they ruin everything, that’s why I love what I do now, not a nigger in sight."

@wsbradio Gov't: Travis McMichael uses that slur over and over referring to Black people, also calling them animals, criminals, monkeys, sub-human savages. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

Gov't: Greg McMichael used social media less than his phone and investigators couldn't get into it so you'll see only a handful posts. You'll meet people who know him. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio A witness will tell you when working w/investigator Greg McMichael and commenting it was too bad Julian Bond had died, GM angrily replied, "Bad?! I wish he'd been put in the ground years ago. He's nothing but trouble. Those Blacks are nothing but trouble." #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: Roddie Bryan told police the day of the chase, when he saw #AhmaudArbery and the white truck, he saw a Black guy running and knew he had to be a criminal. "Instinct" told him, he said. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: Four days before #AhmaudArbery shooting, Bryan learned his daughter was dating a Black man. He wrote to someone his daughter "has her a nigger now." He would refer to the man as that slur or as a monkey. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Govt says Bryan used racial slurs often including "bootlicks."(?) When talking about a dirtbike's possible thief he said, "My money's on bootlicks." This explains why w/o knowing anything abt #AhmaudArbery but skin color he was so quick to decide he had to be a criminal @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: This trial is not about racial slurs; no matter how offensive, they're legal. But they can give you important evidence why a defendant did what they did. Another part of case: Terrifying chase happened because #AhmaudArbery was using the public street @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: You'll see video of a defendant saying that it was precisely because #AhmaudArbery was running down the street and he must've done something wrong. The Black man running down the street had to be a thief, in the eyes of the defendant @wsbradio

@wsbradio Defense Opening #1: AJ Balbo for Greg McMichael. He says the death of #AhmaudArbery was unnecessary and horrific. A tragic event. You'll see video. It's not about what happened at end of video, it's about what happened at the beginning. Why. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Balbo: The death of #AhmaudArbery didn't need to happen, could've been prevented in so many ways. The Gov't will put in evidence Greg McMichael used racial slurs in past. In his 60+ years he's said the types of things that make people cringe, feel disgusted. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Balbo: I'm not going to tell you Greg McMichael is an angel, that he never used coarse and offensive language; you're not going to hear me say that's not a big deal. It's evidence you'll have to put into context with other evidence you'll hear #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Balbo: You'll hear that Greg McMichael is the one who decided to release the Roddie Bryan video because he didn't believe that he'd done anything wrong. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Balbo: I sincerely ask you think critically abt evidence from both sides. You've taken an oath to presume defendant's not guilty. As tragic and unfortunate as #AhmaudArbery's death is, Greg McMichael followed him b/c he believed he was the man on video in English's home @wsbradio

@wsbradio Defense opening #2: Amy Lee Copeland for Travis McMichael: You're going to see the video recorded by Roddie Bryan. I'm going to tell you it's hard to watch; emotional; you may cry. It records the last few minutes of a young man's life. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: You'll see Mr. #AhmaudArbery run to one side, come back, engage in hand-to-hand combat w/Travis McMichael over a shotgun. You'll hear my client was in shock after this; not that he was happy, gleeful, thought this was the greatest thing since sliced bread. @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: You may think what you see on video is wrong, but you're here to determine what led up to this moment. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: Gov't is correct, you'll hear racial evidence. I can't stand here & say Travis McMichael has never used the n-word, never said anything derogatory abt people of another race. He did. He left a digital footprint over several years: Facebook, texts #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: As you hear this racial evidence think about who's Travis McMichael saying these things to? Are there any acts that accompany them? #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: Travis was trying to be a good neighbor. He and his father were trying to help everybody. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: I leave you with one thought: There's a difference between determining whether someone has done something wrong and determining whether the person has committed the crime charged in an indictment. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Copeland: At the end of this case, I'm not going to ask you to like Travis McMichael. I'm not going to ask you determine he's done nothing wrong. I'm going to ask you to return a verdict of not guilty on all counts. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Defense Opening #3: Pete Theodocion for William "Roddie" Bryan. I didn't come 3.5 hours from home and stay in a motel for 3 weeks to excuse or defend racism. I'm not going to do it. I won't do it. I'll never do it. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: Judge has given important instructions: You cannot judge case on emotions. Hard in any case, but a case like this? I've heard the n-word more today than in the last 3-4 years. And we haven't even heard evidence yet. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: It'll be difficult but we have to do it. We owe it to ourselves, this system, the Gov't, & the defendants to do it. Some evidence affects all defendants, but much in this case does not. Some is just one defendant. We cannot affect a bleed-over. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: I'm not here to suggest there's any excuse for racism. Racist tropes, slurs, opinions are the lowest of human emotions--'I don't like this person b/c they don't look like me.' What more ignorant can the human brain produce? #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: Roddie Bryan's not perfect; has said things he knows look bad & he's embarrassed & sorry for. You're not going to see evidence of a man obsessed w/race. You're going to see different levels of racism--not a man who sees world thru prism of race #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: Feb 2020, #AhmaudArbery didn't deserve the fate that befell him. He'd done nothing wrong. You'll see him in the home--was he there to steal? Didn't look like it to me. Construction is interesting to anyone--out for a run, walk, 'I'll look in there' @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: Roddie did not see African-American male walking, jogging, & assume he was a criminal or see him walk onto a construction project. His introduction to #AhmaudArbery was being chased in broad daylight with people saying Stop! Stop him! @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: Bryan was unarmed and didn't look to arm himself. He didn't want to harm this young man. He wants to join the chase...turn on his phone to video as much as he can, document it in case man is gone b4 police he assumes were called arrive #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: Bryan never wanted physical harm to Mr. #AhmaudArbery. He didn't see firearm until right before the shot. Never happened b/c of Ahmaud's race; would've happened if he was white, Hispanic, Asian. Still would've been a young man being told Stop! & being chased @wsbradio

@wsbradio Theodocian: The evidence won't prove this happened b/c #AhmaudArbery was using a public road. It would've happened if he was running front yard to front yard. @wsbradio

@wsbradio The judge denied defense motion to dismiss after arguments from both sides, exhibit from AUSA Bernstein. Government's first witness will be at 9AM. Amy Copeland says she will still work to make sure it was an appropriate certifying authority. #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio

@wsbradio Gov't: If #AhmaudArbery had been white, he would’ve gone for a jog, checked out a cool house under construction, & been home in time for Sunday supper. Instead he went out for a jog & ended up running for his life... @wsbradio

Gov't: "...Instead, he ended up bleeding to death, alone and scared in the middle of the street, for no reason other than these three defendants made decisions about him based on the color of his skin.” #AhmaudArbery @wsbradio