Rev. Sharpton: ‘Dirty toenails’ comment about Arbery part of most racist case he’s ever witnessed

3 years ago 261

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – As the jury continued deliberations successful the proceedings for 3 men accused successful the decease of Ahmaud Arbery, household attorneys and Rev. Al Sharpton addressed the media and supporters of the Arbery household connected Wednesday greeting successful beforehand of the Glynn County Courthouse.

As they stood astatine a podium, Sharpton said the lawsuit has been 1 of the astir racist tribunal cases he’s ever witnessed.

“[Arbery’s parents] sat and heard immoderate of the astir racist statements made successful a tribunal of instrumentality that I’ve heard successful the decades I’ve been retired here,” Sharpton said. “I’ve sat successful galore courtrooms, I person ne'er sat successful a courtroom wherever the unfortunate was akin to an animal, talking astir soiled toenails similar helium was not adjacent human, but an animal.”

FULL COVERAGE: Trial of men accused successful decease of Ahmaud Arbery

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Sharpton was referencing comments made by defence lawyer Laura Houge, who is representing Gregory McMichael, during closing arguments.

“Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a unfortunate aft the choices that helium made does not bespeak the world of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores successful his khaki shorts with nary socks to screen his long, soiled toenails,” Hogue told jurors.

After the remark by Hogue, Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery’s mother, said “wow” and near the courtroom.

Sharpton adjacent went connected to question if the defence attorneys successful the lawsuit person families.

MORE: Defense lawyer successful Arbery slaying proceedings tells judge: ‘We don’t privation immoderate much Black pastors coming successful here’

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The defence attorneys for Gregory and Travis McMichael, who are charged with Arbery’s murder, repeatedly person tried to contiguous Arbery arsenic a criminal, though prosecutors person said determination is nary grounds Arbery committed a transgression the time helium was killed.

Attorney Ben Crump said helium can’t ideate what went done the minds of Arbery’s parents proceeding immoderate of the comments made by the defence attorneys.

“As if Ahmaud is simply a runaway enslaved and that they had the close to pursuit him and seizure him and the authorization to adjacent termination him,” Crump said.

RELATED: Prosecutor reads racist messages by Ahmaud Arbery’s killer

They said defence attorneys person been picking astatine the household successful a way, complaining astir Arbery’s parent who was crying successful the courtroom.

The family, their attorneys and pastors said they person transitioned present to putting religion successful the jury.

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Family lawyer Lee Merritt said helium believes there’s much than capable grounds to convict the 3 men connected each charges.

“We recognize a verdict could travel backmost contiguous and determination is much than capable grounds for them to travel backmost with a verdict contiguous but if it takes done the vacation if it takes done adjacent week nevertheless agelong it takes we privation them to get it right,” Merritt said.

Sharpton gave thing helium wants radical to deliberation astir connected Thanksgiving.

“I privation you to look astatine your household array and look astatine however determination volition beryllium 1 bare spot and Marcus and Wanda’s array and the bare spot is wherever Ahmaud would’ve sat. Ask yourself, person you heard immoderate crushed Ahmaud shouldn’t beryllium astatine that table? That’s what everybody ought to deliberation astir implicit Thanksgiving,” Sharpton said.

News4Jax spoke with Ahmaud Arbery’s large aunt who said she is precise optimistic and believes God didn’t bring her household this acold to permission them. As of Wednesday afternoon, they were sitting extracurricular the courthouse, anxiously waiting for this verdict that could travel aboriginal successful the day.

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