Trial Begins for Ex-Georgia Prosecutor Accused in Ahmaud Arbery Case Mishandling

The former Georgia prosecutor accused of obstructing the investigation into the killing of Ahmaud Arbery is scheduled to go on trial more than four years after Arbery’s death. Jury selection for the trial of Jackie Johnson, the former Brunswick District Attorney, is set to begin Tuesday. Johnson faces charges of violating her oath of office and obstruction related to her conduct following Arbery’s death in February 2020. Three men were eventually convicted of state murder and federal hate crime charges. One of those men, Gregory McMichael, had worked as an investigator in Johnson’s office and reportedly sought her assistance after his son shot Arbery during a chase. Although Johnson recused herself from the case, the Georgia Attorney General’s Office has accused her of mishandling the case by interfering with investigators, thus delaying the arrest of Travis McMichael, Gregory’s son. Johnson’s attorneys have declined to comment due to the trial’s demands, and she has previously denied any wrongdoing. During a pre-trial hearing in December, her attorney stated that Johnson was concentrating on an unrelated indictment and was not aware of the developments in Arbery’s case. No arrests were made until two months after Arbery’s death, when video footage of the shooting became public. Arbery’s killing, alongside the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, became focal points of nationwide protests in the summer of 2020. After jury selection, opening statements will commence. Approximately 500 Glynn County residents were summoned for jury duty as the court seeks to establish an impartial jury panel. The case revolves around the events of February 23, 2020, when Arbery was pursued and shot dead while jogging. The McMichaels, suspecting Arbery of involvement in burglaries, armed themselves and chased him in a pickup truck. William “Roddie” Bryan joined the pursuit, filming the encounter on his cellphone. The video, released on May 5, 2020, revealed Travis McMichael shooting Arbery after a confrontation. The McMichaels were arrested shortly after the video’s release, and Bryan was arrested two weeks later. A third district attorney’s office, from Cobb County, took over the case two months post-shooting. In November 2021, Travis McMichael was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony. His father was acquitted of malice murder but found guilty on other counts. Bryan was convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and criminal attempt to commit a felony, though acquitted of malice murder and certain other charges. The three received life sentences on state charges and were later convicted of federal hate crimes, with the McMichaels receiving life sentences and Bryan sentenced to 35 years. Around this time, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was asked to investigate the prosecutors’ response to Arbery’s killing by state Attorney General Chris Carr’s office. Johnson had recused herself the day after the shooting due to prior connections with Gregory McMichael. However, it took until February 27, 2020, for her to ask for a new prosecutor, at which point the Attorney General’s office appointed one from the Waycross judicial circuit. This prosecutor, however, had already informed the Glynn County Police that he saw no grounds for the McMichaels’ arrests. He later recused himself, revealing his son had previously worked on a case involving Arbery and Gregory McMichael. The Attorney General’s Office was unaware of these communications when making the appointment. Prosecutors allege Johnson and Gregory McMichael had 16 phone calls following Arbery’s death, including one from McMichael at the shooting scene seeking Johnson’s advice. In September 2021, a grand jury indicted Johnson on two counts: violation of oath of a public officer and obstruction and hindering a law enforcement officer. The first count references her recusal and recommendation for a new prosecutor without acknowledging her previous request for his assistance, allegedly breaching her oath. The second count claims Johnson hindered police by directing them not to arrest Travis McMichael. By the time of her indictment, Johnson had lost reelection, though she maintained she acted appropriately, blaming community division on those exploiting the case. During the McMichaels and Bryan’s trial in November 2021, some Brunswick residents expressed distrust in the local justice system, citing the delayed investigation and arrests as a contributing factor.