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Approximately 1,000 people will descend upon the Glynn County Superior Court in Georgia as jury selection begins in the trial of the three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery. Potential jurors will be admitted into court in groups of 20 before answering a series of questions that will determine their involvement in the trial. Legal experts tell the Associated Press that this process could run through the end of the month.
Arbery was killed during an altercation in Brunswick, Georgia last February. The 25-year-old was jogging through the area when he was confronted by three men, George McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddy" Bryan. Multiple reports of the encounter accuse Travis McMichael of approaching Arbery with a shotgun before a struggle for the gun ensued. During the struggle, Arbery was shot multiple times and died shortly thereafter.
The three men were not initially arrested or detained for the shooting. Instead, the three men remained free until video of the shooting surfaced in early May. Two days after the video was shared online, George and Travis McMichael were arrested and held without bond. Two weeks after the McMichaels were arrested, Bryan was arrested and charged with felony murder as well. Facing both state and federal charges, the three men have plead not guilty to murder and will stand trial this fall.
Over time, the public nature of Arbery's death has attracted attention of LeBron James, Lecrae, Gabrielle Union, Ben Crump and several other stars. Coupled with the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Arbery's death has become one of the most high profile shootings in recent memory. As a result, legal experts warn it could be "extremely difficult" to find 12 impartial jurors that have not already come to a conclusion in this case.
"It's going to be on the tip of their tongues and in the back of their heads," Brian Buckmire of the Law & Crime Network explained to ABC News.
"I think it's going to be hard to find someone who already hasn't come up with a conclusion to this case."
Regardless of how long it takes, Arbery's father, Marcus, is prepared to do what it takes to get justice for his son.
“This is 2021, and it’s time for a change,” Arbery Sr. told the Associated Press.
"We need to be treated equally and get fair justice as human beings, because we’ve been treated wrong so long.”
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The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
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