BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Jury selection begins Monday in the murder trial of three white men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery, who is Black, in February 2020 in Glynn County.
Travis McMichael and his dad, Gregory, who had guns and drove a pickup truck, followed Arbery in the Satilla Shores neighborhood. William "Roddie" Bryan followed Arbery in a second vehicle and filmed the fatal shooting. Arbery's family says he was out jogging.
Brunswick is bracing for the national spotlight and large crowds in this high-profile case, and those in law enforcement want to make sure those who live in the community know what to expect.
The town hall meeting is being held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the large meeting room at the Brunswick-Glynn County Library on Gloucester Street in Brunswick.
A unified command structure to deal with any potential incidents formed in July and has been meeting daily since then. It includes state and local law enforcement, including the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, the City of Brunswick Fire and Police Departments, the College of Coastal Georgia Police Department, the Glynn County Board of Education Police Department, the Glynn County Fire and Police Departments and the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office.
Glynn County activist Travis Riddle asks for the community to stay calm and not riot during the trial.
“My main focus right now is making sure the community of Brunswick understands that Brunswick is our home. We’ve got to stay strong and protect our home and make sure we let the justice system do what the justice system needs to do," Riddle said.
600 potential jurors are showing up Monday, and 400 more are on standby.
"I feel the trial is good just to show and reward the community for what they did for coming together and getting the arrests made, get the Jackie Johnson situation looked into, and just be able to get the people in front of a jury so they can have a trial," Riddle said.
The McMichaels and Bryan are also charged with federal hate crimes.
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