(Reuters) – A lawyer for one of three white nationals accused of killing Ahmed Arbury has said his team “does not want any more black pastors” to appear in Georgia court after a civil rights leader attended the trial.
Kevin Goff’s remarks were made Thursday, citing the defense attorney’s citation in a defense attorney’s request in a high – profile case to exclude African-American clergy. There has been intense criticism from Al Sharpton.
In February 2020, a 25-year-old black man in the coastal city of Brunswick was chased by three men and shot dead in an area mostly populated by whites. The trio pleaded not guilty to murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Trial.
“If their pastor is Al Sharpton right now, that’s fine. But that’s all. We don’t want black pastors coming here anymore … sitting with the victim’s family and trying to influence the jury in this case,” the attorney said. Kevin Goff, represented by defendant William “Roddy” Bryan.
Sharpton attended the hearing on Wednesday and held a prayer vigil with Arbury’s parents outside the court, he said on his official Twitter account.
The investigation comes as the killings of blacks by police in recent years have led to a resurgence of push for civil rights in the United States, as the murder of George Floyd, captured on video last year, has sparked protests around the world.
“Attorney Kevin Goff’s arrogant ambiguity about banning me or the family’s chosen minister underscores the family’s grief over the loss of the value of lost human life and the need for spiritual and social support.” Said Sharpton.
He said his attendance was “not to be interrupted in any way” and “at the invitation of the family”.
Goff, who said he was unaware of Sharpton’s existence until the end of the court session that day, told Judge Timothy Valmsley, “We want to keep politics out of this case.” He suggested that the presence of people like Sharpton “may be an attempt to pressure or influence the jury, consciously or unconsciously.”
“There is no complete exclusion of members of the public from this court,” Judge Goff said.
Bryan, 52, as well as neighbors Gregory McMichael, 65, and his son Travis McMichael, 35, face life in prison if convicted of murder.
The jury was shown videos of him roaming around a vacant property as he visited the Georgia neighborhood where he was shot on Thursday. Prosecutors said Arbury was an avid runner-up in Jagjit on Sunday afternoon.
Reuters
