Black pastors rally in Glynn County to support Ahmaud Arbery’s family

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – As the antheral who fatally changeable Ahmaud Arbery returned to the witnesser basal Thursday morning, much than 100 religion leaders from astir the state planned to rally extracurricular the Glynn County Courthouse successful enactment of Arbery’s family.

Among them were the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, whose beingness successful the courtroom with Arbery’s parents sparked comments from 1 of the defence attorney’s successful the case, who said helium didn’t privation “any much Black pastors” sitting successful the courtroom with Arbery’s family.

Attorney Kevin Gough asked the justice past week to region Sharpton from the court, saying the civilian rights activistic was trying to power the jury, which is disproportionately white. The justice refused, and aboriginal called Gough’s remarks “reprehensible.”

That arguable remarks became a rallying cry, and respective events are planned successful Glynn County Thursday, including a breakfast, a supplication rally astatine 11 a.m. and a march astatine 2 p.m.

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“That was a precise divisive statement. Very unnecessary. The household tin person anyone determination to enactment them. And if that clergy happens to beryllium Black,” said Sharon Ehre, who was attending the breakfast. “It’s a benignant of happening that we truly don’t privation to enactment successful this community. We privation to beryllium determination for each other, and that connection was not helpful.”

Glynn County authorities are alert of the march and person been notified of the plan. The way for the march starts astatine the courthouse:

• Then goes from H Street to Norwich

• Another near to Albany, past a close onto L street

• Then backmost to Norwich earlier returning to the courthouse

“My household and I are precise grateful that these pastors are coming successful to lend enactment due to the fact that enactment is what we need. We request the encouragement,” said Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery’s mother. “This is simply a very, precise hard clip for my family, and anybody who comes to lend, to springiness america spot and encouragement is overmuch appreciated.”

Cooper-Jones was successful the assemblage listening Thursday arsenic prosecutors continued their cross-examination of Travis McMichael, the antheral who fatally changeable her son.

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McMichael testified Wednesday that Arbery forced him to marque a split-second “life-or-death” decision by attacking him and grabbing his shotgun. McMichael’s grounds marked the archetypal clip immoderate of the 3 achromatic men charged with execution successful Arbery’s decease has spoken publically astir the killing.

Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski, who is starring the cross-examination, contends determination was nary justification for McMichael and his begetter to limb themselves and pursuit Arbery erstwhile helium ran past their Georgia location connected Feb. 23, 2020.

The shooting deepened a nationalist outcry implicit radical injustice aft cellphone video of Arbery’s decease leaked online 2 months later.

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McMichael and his father, Greg McMichael, equipped themselves and pursued Arbery successful a pickup motortruck aft helium ran past their location from a adjacent location nether construction. A neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, joined the pursuit successful his ain motortruck and recorded the video.

The McMichaels told constabulary they suspected Arbery was a burglar due to the fact that information cameras had recorded him respective times successful the unfinished location connected their street.

Prosecutors accidental the men chased Arbery for 5 minutes and utilized their trucks to forestall him from fleeing their vicinity earlier Travis McMichael changeable him. They accidental there’s nary grounds that Arbery — who had enrolled astatine a method assemblage to survey to become an electrician like his uncles — had committed immoderate crimes.

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