In this May 17, 2020, photo, a recently painted mural of Ahmaud Arbery is on display in Brunswick, Ga., where the 25-year-old man was shot and killed in February. It was painted by Miami artist Marvin Weeks. (AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan)
By Kate Brumback
A prosecutor on Wednesday announced that three men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery in coastal Georgia.
Speaking to reporters outside the Glynn County courthouse, prosecutor Joyette Holmes said a grand jury has indicted Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. on charges including malice and felony murder in the death of the African American man.
"This is another positive step, another great step for finding justice for Ahmaud, for finding justice for this family and the community beyond," Holmes said during the news conference, which was streamed online by news outlets.
Lawyers for the McMichaels have cautioned against a rush to judgment and have said the full story will come out in court. A lawyer for Bryan has maintained that his client was merely a witness.
This photo combo of images taken Thursday, May 7, 2020, and provided by the Glynn County Detention Center, in Georgia, show Gregory McMichael, left, and his son Travis McMichael. (Glynn County Detention Center via AP)
Arbery was slain Feb. 23 when the Greg and Travis McMichael, a white father and son, armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old Black man running in their neighborhood. Greg McMichael told police he suspected Arbery was a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son before being shot.
Bryan lives in the same subdivision, just outside the port city of Brunswick. Bryan said he saw the McMichaels driving by and joined the chase, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified earlier this month.
It wasn't until May 7 -- two days after Bryan's cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry -- that the McMichaels were arrested. Bryan was arrested on May 22, and an arrest warrant said he tried "to confine and detain" Arbery without legal authority by "utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions" before Arbery was shot.
In addition to malice murder and felony murder charges, the McMichaels and Bryan each are charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
Court functions in Georgia have been severely limited in recent months because of a statewide judicial emergency declared by the chief justice of the state Supreme Court in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Holmes said they were able to call in a grand jury that had been impaneled prior to the judicial emergency. They followed public guidelines, providing hand sanitizer to the grand jurors and allowing them to sit far apart, she said.
Because of the uncertainty caused by the virus, the Arbery family didn't know when the next steps would be taken after a probable cause hearing held earlier this month, Holmes said. But they were notified as soon as the grand jury returned an indictment, she said.
"The family was ecstatic to hear that it had happened this morning," she said.
Bob Rubin, a lawyer for Travis McMichael, said in an email that prosecutors choose the facts they want to present to a grand jury when seeking an indictment. The defense team has found other facts "that are an integral part of the case," he wrote.
"To this indictment, Travis McMichael will plead not guilty, and we look forward to presenting all of the facts regarding this tragic death in a court of law," Rubin wrote.
Attorney Kevin Gough, who represents Bryan, spoke to reporters at the county courthouse right after Holmes announced the indictment.
"We welcome the action of the grand jury today,' Gough said. "While we disagree with it, it's an important step in the process to moving this case closer to the speedy trial that Roddie has demanded."
He said his client has committed no crime and has cooperated with law enforcement officers from the beginning.
Lawyers for Greg McMichael did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.
Mona Akhavi, CEO of Vrai, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss the process of creating lab grown diamonds, why this industry is growing, and the latest trends in the jewelry and engagement ring space.
M&M's is rebranding its iconic chocolate candy characters with new looks and storylines highlighting the "progressive world" we live in today. Jane Hwang, global vice president of M&M's, joined Cheddar to talk about the company's rebrand. "M&M's is on a mission to create a world where everyone feels they belong," she said. The multi-colored, anthropomorphized candies will be getting an updated look and tone, according to Hwang, such as Green receiving a makeover that reflects more female empowerment and confidence.
The Department of Agriculture has officially unveiled its plan to fight catastrophic wildfires that have devastated parts of the West in the last few years. The department, along with the Forest Service will work to significantly increase fuels and forest health treatments to address the escalating crisis of wildfire danger. Executive Editor of Cipher, a publication by Breakthrough Energy, Amy Harder, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A new report out on Linkedin says that Crypto-related job postings in the US surged to 395% between 2020 and 2021. Job titles which included titles containing "Bitcoin", "Ethereum", "Blockchain", and cryptocurrency, all outpaced jobs in the wider tech industry which saw a 98% increase in listings during the same time period. LinkedIn also notes that the most common crypto job postings were blockchain developers and engineers. CEO of Radkl, Ryan Sheftel, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A new study has been causing a lot of buzz in the cannabis industry. Researchers from Oregon State University found that compounds in cannabis could prevent infection with COVID-19, but that doesn't mean smoking marijuana prevents people from getting infected. CV Sciences medical advisor Dr. Michael Lewis joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Software company BigPanda recently raised $190 million in Series D funding, led by Advent International and Insight Partners. The funding round gives the company unicorn status with a $1.2 billion valuation. BigPanda develops A.I. software that detects and analyzes problems in I.T. systems. The company says it aims to be the solution for other companies that do not have enough manpower to manage their data, as more and more industries continue to build a broader digital presence. BigPanda co-founder and CEO Assaf Resnick joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Amazon Prime announced the name of the highly anticipated Middle-Earth prequel streaming series to be called "The Rings of Power," premiering on September 2. The show takes place thousands of years before the stories set in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings."
Sebastien Lagree, creator and founder of Lagree Fitness, joins Cheddar News to talk about the growth of Lagree Fitness and industry trends to watch in 2022.
We've all seen the headlines about a record number of Americans quitting their jobs in what's become known as the Great Resignation. However, new data on why people are leaving the workforce in droves suggests the bigger headline is Americans are simply burned out. Stephanie Aston, CEO of Black Girl Group, joined Cheddar News to break down why so many employees have reached their breaking points and what employers can do about it.
Nikhilesh De, managing editor of global regulation and policy at CoinDesk, joins Cheddar News to discuss Bitcoin's slump and corporations' growing interest in NFTs.
