On May 10, 2020, NJ Lawyer and Bianchi Law Group partner David Bruno appeared on Fox News’ Americas News HQ with host Arthel Neville and Attorney Michael J Moore to discuss the death of Ahmaud Arbery and the recent murder charges against the father and son who shot him.
Twenty-five-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was killed February 23 just outside the port city of Brunswick, Georgia. The arrests Thursday came after the release of the video that appeared to show the incident which sparked a national outcry. The video depicts the father and son following the jogging Arberty in their pickup truck. The father and son stopped the truck, confronted an unarmed Arbery, and thereafter shot and killed him.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says 64-year-old Gregory McMichael and 34-year-old Travis McMichael were arrested on murder and aggravated assault charges and will be booked into the county jail.
This past week, the latest district attorney to take on the case said in a statement that it should be presented to a grand jury; however, grand juries in Georgia are temporarily suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. Like New Jersey, a statewide moratorium on judicial proceedings in Georgia was extended this past week until June 12, meaning it could be another month before the case is presented to the Grand Jury. That should not matter here as the defendants have already been charged by a complaint. Sometimes prosecutors will wait to charge and present the case directly to a grand jury to determine if probable cause exists. That is not the case here as prosecutors have already charged.
In the video, I discussed the similarities and differences between this case and the Trevon Martin case where George Zimmerman was acquitted for the shooting of Martin in Florida. Here, the shooting is captured on camera which, in my opinion will be the difference.
I am sure this will not be the last time I have the opportunity to speak about this case which is expected to garner national attention.