Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson walked hand in hand with Ahmaud Arbery’s father into a Georgia courtroom on Monday morning in a show of solidarity with the slain jogger’s family.
Jackson arrived at the Glynn County Courthouse with Marcus Arbery Sr. and Barbara Arnwine of the Transformative Justice Coalition. The three held hands as they walked into the courthouse.
His visit follows an unusual outburst from defense attorney Kevin Gough, who represents one of the three white men accused of murdering Arbery.
The Brunswick lawyer, whose client William “Roddie” Bryan cornered, blocked, and cut off the 25-year-old black jogger five times, allowing Travis McMichael to open fire with his 12-gauge shotgun, first took issue Wednesday with Rev. Al Sharpton sitting in the courtroom.
ATTORNEY SAYS NO MORE BLACK PASTORS IN COURT FOR ARBERY CASE
A day later, Gough made a series of bizarre comments, telling Judge Timothy Walmsley, “We don’t want any more black pastors coming in here or other Jesse Jackson, whoever was in here earlier this week, sitting with the victim’s family trying to influence a jury in the case.”
Gough argued that having “high-profile members of the African American community” in the courtroom may intimidate the almost all-white jury in the trial.
Attorney Jason Sheffield, who represents Travis McMichael, distanced himself from Gough’s remarks, calling them “asinine and ridiculous.”
Though Gough awkwardly apologized for his comment, the fallout has brought further scrutiny to a case in which race has played a major factor.
Bryan, Travis McMichael, and his father, Greg McMichael, have been charged with nine counts each, including malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault, for killing Arbery.
The young man’s death was only investigated after footage Bryan took of the incident was leaked online and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation became involved. The grisly shooting and the alleged cover-up dominated national headlines and became part of a larger racial reckoning among the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
Prosecutors claim Arbery was an innocent man shot by three white strangers because of the color of his skin. The defendants argue they thought Arbery was stealing and that security cameras in an open-framed house under construction had previously caught him on tape, though investigators have rejected those claims.
On Sunday, Jackson said he would lead a prayer vigil in the courthouse Monday morning.
