Ahmaud Arbery case: McMichaels lawyers don’t want Arbery labeled ‘victim’ in court

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“Due process requires a minimum injection of error or prejudice into those proceedings. The use of terms such as “victim” allows the focus to be on the accused rather than staying on the evidence of every element of the crimes charged, “the lawyers wrote in a motion filed on December 30.
Another petition asks the court to limit Arbery’s photos to one in the trial, and that he appear alone. He also asks that an unrelated witness identify Arbery in the photograph, instead of a relative, “to avoid creating a cumulative injurious error in the trial of this case.”
Ahmaud Arbery was hit by a truck before dying and his killer allegedly used a racial insult, testifies the investigator

Arbery, a 25-year-old black man, was out jogging near Brunswick, Ga. On February 23, 2020, when the McMichaels chased him in their truck and Travis shot him dead after the two got into a fight , the authorities said. Gregory McMichael was overheard saying on camera footage of the police body after the shooting that he had a hunch Arbery may have been responsible for previous robberies in the neighborhood, an office official said. Georgia investigation at a preliminary hearing in June.

The two men pleaded not guilty to the crimes of malicious intent and murder, and aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., who recorded video of Arbery’s death, allegedly hit Arbery with his truck after joining the McMichaels in the chase. Bryan has pleaded not guilty to criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment and murder.

Ahmaud Arbery murder suspect called DA from crime scene for advice, prosecutor says

The three men, who are white, are being held unrelated.

Lawyers for the McMichaels have also filed a petition asking the court to prohibit trial spectators from wearing face masks or t-shirts with “Black Lives Matter”, “I can’t breathe” or similar slogans marked on them. , as some have done, they say, in previous proceedings in the case.

“These supporters have the right to wear whatever clothing they choose, hold up any sign they wish, and chant any slogan they choose outside the courtroom.” That is the beauty of our First Amendment. But once inside the courthouse, the sanctity of the accused’s right to a fair and impartial trial trumps the First Amendment, ”the motion states.

Other motions filed by lawyers on December 30 and 31 ask the court to order the prosecution to turn over all records relating to “Arbery’s disciplinary, criminal and mental health records” and the contents of his telephone records and social media accounts, and to exclude from evidence any recorded jail calls made by the McMichaels while being held in the Glynn County Detention Center.

CNN’s Alta Spells contributed to this report.

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