BRUNSWICK, Ga. — A Georgia judge is expected to delve into the jury selection process at a hearing for the upcoming murder trial of three men accused of killing a Black man, Ahmaud Arbery.
A judge scheduled a pre-trial conference Thursday at a courthouse in Brunswick, Georgia.
Three white men — Greg McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. — are charged with murder in the February 2020 killing of Arbery, a 25-year-old African American who was chased and shot after two of the defendants spotted him running in their Georgia neighborhood.
Attorneys for the McMichaels have asked the judge to keep reporters out of the courtroom during questioning of potential jurors. They claim having cameras in the room during jury selection would prevent potential jurors from comfortably answering questions about race and other sensitive topics.
Several media outlets, including The Associated Press, have objected to the attorney's request.
Arbery's death sparked national outrage in the Spring of 2020 when a video of the shooting leaked to the media. Thinking Arbery was responsible for a series of break-ins in the neighborhood, the McMichaels armed themselves and chased Arbery in a truck as he jogged near their home.
Video taken by Bryan shows the McMichaels gun Arbery down; the McMichaels claim they shot Arbery in self-defense when he grabbed for the weapon.
