While the mobile phone video of Ahmaud Arbery's death went viral, and ultimately led to the arrest of the men now on trial for murdering him, Ahmaud's mother had told me she had studiously avoided watching it over the past 18 months. In the courtroom today on the first day of the trial, the anguished cry of Wanda Cooper Jones, as she saw that footage of her son's final moments for the first time, brought her devastating loss into stark focus.
That the three white men on trial thought it was a good idea to put that video online which one of them had filmed thinking it would somehow show them in a good light, gives us a sense of the attitudes that persist in this part of Georgia. Supporters of Ahmaud's family argue that those attitudes undoubtedly contributed not only to the killing but also to the response of the police in the aftermath. Relatives of Mr Arbery have said they were concerned that the case would have been covered up without the emergence of the video.
The racial composition of the jury - one black juror and 11 white - has led to new concerns from Mr Arbery's family about the possible outcome of the trial. The case is currently on its fourth prosecutor. Two district attorneys earlier recused themselves due to ties to Greg McMichael, a former police officer.
The first prosecutor to handle the case is facing charges of obstruction for allegedly blocking the arrest of the McMichaels. The second district attorney to take the case declined to arrest the men after determining that they were using citizen's arrest rights in confronting the jogger. Ahmaud Arbery went jogging. Why did he die? Nearly all-white jury in black jogger murder trial.
Image source, Getty Images. A lack of diversity could lead to questions about the legitimacy of the verdict. Lawyers for the McMichaels last month asked a judge to ban mention of a decal on their car of the Confederate flag, which was flown by the pro-slavery southern states during the US Civil War. The men said it would be "prejudicial" to the jury, but failed to convince the judge, who said jurors could interpret it "in any way they deem appropriate".
Two local district attorneys had earlier recused themselves due to professional connections to the elder Mr McMichael - a former police detective and private investigator. Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson - whose office initially handled the case - was charged in September with violating her oath of office and obstructing the arrest of the McMichaels immediately after the shooting.
She has denied any wrongdoing. The second district attorney involved, Waycross Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill, had told police he believed the father and son had used citizen's arrest rights in confronting the jogger, and that as a result there were no grounds for arrest.
Mr Barnhill recused himself, citing concerns raised by the victim's mother over his ties to Mr McMichael. Mr McMichael had previously been involved in an investigation of Mr Arbery, according to a letter written by Mr Barnhill. A former star high school football player, his father said he often exercised in the area.
His family has described him as a good, generous young man with a big heart. When Mr Arbery was in high school, he received five years of probation for a first-time weapons charge and in , was convicted of probation violation for shoplifting, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper. It emerged that, in , a Glynn County officer attempted to tase him after he denied their request to search his car at a park.
Police bodycam footage showed the encounter with officers, who said he was in a car in an area known for drug use. He said he was on his day off from work. The taser malfunctioned and he was allowed to leave on foot. The first video surfaced publicly on 5 May The second clip was filmed from a vehicle following Mr Arbery.
It shows Mr Arbery jogging, and approaching a stationary pickup truck which is ahead of him on the road. He tries to bypass the truck and then is seen struggling with a man carrying a shotgun.
There is muffled shouting and three gunshots are heard. A second man is standing in the bed of the pickup. The second man is then shown with a pistol standing alongside the other armed man with the jogger no longer in view. The clip - which sparked nationwide outcry swiftly followed by criminal charges - was leaked at the behest of Gregory McMichael because he thought it would make him and his son look better, according to WSB-TV in Atlanta.
On 10 May , another video emerged, showing a man believed to be Mr Arbery at a home construction site shortly before the shooting. In the footage from a surveillance camera, a black man in a white T-shirt walks on to the site and is seen looking around for a few minutes before leaving and jogging down the street. Testifying to the trial, the site's owner, Larry English Jr, said that the man believed to be Mr Arbery did not disturb or damage his property in any way during a suspected visit in October In a call placed that night he is heard telling police: "I've got a trespasser there.
He's a, he's a coloured guy. In his testimony, Mr English added that other people - including children and white couple - had also been seen by cameras trespassing on his property. He added that he never authorised the McMichaels to enter his property or confront anyone suspected of trespassing. Police body-camera footage has also been shown in court, in which the elder McMichael is seen consoling his son - who is covered in Mr Arbery's blood. Mr Bryan, along with the two McMichaels, appeared to have been following Mr Arbery "in hot pursuit", according to a memo by Mr Barnhill.
He is also mentioned in the Glynn County police report of the shooting, in which officers noted that Mr Bryan had unsuccessfully tried to block Mr Arbery's path. Prosecutors say he was attempting to "confine and detain" Mr Arbery. However, Mr Bryan told a local TV station that he "had nothing to do with it" and was in "complete shock". He did not answer questions on why he was there or why he started recording, but his lawyer said: "My client was responding to what he saw, which was someone in the community he didn't know being followed by a vehicle he recognised.
Around the time of the incident, a number of emergency calls were made, CBS News has reported. Privacy Policy. Password recovery. Tricks and Tips for Photographing Runners. By Steve Guymon. Pre-race Planning Learn as much as you can about running. Since only really good photos are published, study magazines and websites to learn the best compositions. If possible, scout the race route so you can find the best backgrounds and angles. Try to find a place at the beginning and finish line as well as a spot well into the race where the runners have spread out.
Because of traffic and crowds, a bicycle will be your best means of moving along the route. The best coverage will result from a team of photographers placed at different spots along the route. Tags composition runners sports photography track. Help us grow Did you learn anything? Credit Card Stripe Checkout. Steve Guymon.
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