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A grand jury in the US state of Georgia indicted three white men for the murder of unarmed black man Ahmaud Arbery in February, authorities say.
Travis McMichael, his son Greg and William Bryan were indicted by the Glynn County Grand Jury on charges including malice and murder.
Arbery, 25, was running when he was shot dead during a confrontation with the father and son on February 23.
The Brunswick incident was captured on video, sparking a national outcry.
“This is another positive step, another great step to find justice for Ahmaud, to find justice for this family and the community beyond,” District Attorney Joyette Holmes said Wednesday.
In response to the jury’s indictment, Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, told NBC Nightly News: “At this point, I think the case is moving in the right direction.
“This simply gives us power to fight. These are just the first steps, we still have a long way to go.”
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AFP / Getty Images
From left to right: William Bryan, Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael
Defense attorneys for the McMichaels have warned against rushing the trial, reports the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for Mr. Bryan, who filmed Mr. Arbery’s death on his mobile phone, has argued that his client was simply a witness.
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There have been major protests across the United States recently following the death of another unarmed black man, George Floyd, in police custody last month.
What happened to Ahmaud Arbery?
In the moments before the fatal confrontation, Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis, 34, armed themselves with a pistol and shotgun and chased Mr. Arbery in a pickup truck in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick.
Gregory McMichael then told police that he believed Arbery looked like the suspect in a series of local robberies.
Bryan’s 36-second video leaked online on May 5, sparking a national outcry that was quickly followed by murder charges. It was filmed by Mr. Bryan from his vehicle while driving behind Mr. Arbery.
The clip appears to show Mr. Arbery running down a tree-lined street as the McMichaels wait for him in their vehicle.
A fight ensues between young McMichael and Mr. Arbery, who falls to the ground.
The three defendants were not charged until more than two months after Arbery was killed. State police began investigating after images of the incident circulated.
