A Georgia judge on Friday denied bond for the white father and son accused of fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery, a 26-year-old black jogger, in February.
The ruling followed an emotional two-day hearing in which Arbery’s mother pleaded to Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley to keep Gregory and Travis McMichael behind bars as they await their murder trials.
Walmsley said he was concerned that the McMichaels decided to take the law into their own hands and endangered their neighbors when they chased down and shot Arbery on a residential street in the port city of Brunswick.
Defense attorneys argued that the McMichaels thought Arbery was a burglar and that Travis McMichael was only defending himself when he took Arbery’s life.
Prosecutors argued that letting the McMichaels out on bond would put the public in danger.
From almost the beginning, race played a role in the events that unfolded in February, prosecutors said.
Questions about racism sharpened during a previous hearing when it was revealed that a third defendant, William “Roddie” Bryan, took a cellphone video of the shooting in which Travis McMichael is allegedly heard uttering a racial slur after he shot Arbery three times.
During Thursday’s hearing, Robert Rubin, Travis McMichael’s attorney, asked six people who testified on McMichael’s behalf if he ever displayed any racism toward anyone. They all said no.
Zachary Langford, Travis McMichael’s childhood friend, testified that McMichael was a good-natured man who had at least one black friend.
When prosecutor Jesse Evans asked Langford about a text message in which Travis McMichael used a slur for black people when referring to a “crackhead … with gold teeth,” Langford at first said he didn’t recall receiving the message but then after being shown a transcript of the exchange said, “He was referring to a raccoon, I believe.”
Evans also brought up a Facebook photo Langford posted last year to which Travis McMichael replied, “Sayonara,” along with an offensive term for Asians followed by an expletive. Langford testified he did not recall that either.
Langford’s wife, Ashley, testified that Travis McMichael told her, “He wished it never happened like that. He prayed for Ahmaud’s mother and his family daily.”
Wander Cooper-Jones doubted whether either McMichael regretted his actions.
“Nobody reached out to say, ‘I’m sorry for your loss.’ I don’t think they are remorseful at all,” she said, adding that she hoped the McMichaels would remain behind bars until their trial.
On Feb. 23, the McMichaels cornered Arbery while Bryan recorded the killing. The McMichaels have been charged with felony malice murder and aggravated assault charges.
Their attorneys said the McMichaels believed that Arbery had burglarized a neighboring house under construction. Prosecutors claimed Arbery was jogging and stole nothing.
Early on, Bryan claimed he had only recorded the scene because he was a good Samaritan. Bryan was charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. The McMichaels and Bryan have all pleaded not guilty.
