Defense rests its case in Arbery trial

After presenting evidence for two days and calling seven witnesses, attorneys for Greg and Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan concluded their case. Travis McMichael took the stand on Thursday and testified that he acted in self-defense when he shot Ahmaud Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020. He said he thought Arbery was trying to grab his gun. The defendants chased and confronted Arbery, a 25-year-old black man who was running in a neighborhood in Brunswick, Ga., because they thought he might be a burglar. Under cross-examination, Travis McMichael said Arbery did not speak, show a weapon, or threaten him before McMichael raised his own gun. Closing arguments begin Friday morning.

What were the key arguments? Prosecutors showed graphic photos of Arbery’s fatal wounds to argue that the McMichaels intentionally murdered him. They accused the defendants of targeting Arbery because of his race. The defense argued that the McMichaels had reason to believe Arbery was a frequent trespasser and were justified in attempting a citizen’s arrest. Bryan followed the McMichaels in his truck and videoed the encounter, and his attorneys maintain that he is a witness and not guilty of any wrongdoing.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Katie Gaultney’s report on pastors’ response to the protests that followed news of Arbery’s and George Floyd’s deaths in 2020.