Death of Ahmaud Arbery: Trial for former Brunswick DA scheduled to begin

Ahmaud Arbery murder: Ex-DA faces interference charges

Former Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson was charged with illegally interfering with police investigating the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery and made her first court appearance on Wednesday.

A former Georgia district attorney accused of interfering with the police investigation into the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery appeared in court Tuesday, marking a significant step in the long-delayed legal proceedings.

Jackie Johnson, indicted in 2021 by a grand jury, faces charges of violating her oath of office and hindering a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors allege that Johnson used her position to shield Greg McMichael, a retired investigator in her office, and to discourage police from arresting McMichael’s son, Travis McMichael, after the fatal shooting.

Greg and Travis McMichael are serving life sentences for the murder of Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man who was chased and shot while running through a Brunswick neighborhood in February 2020. Prosecutors say the men wrongly suspected Arbery of theft. Greg McMichael initiated the pursuit, and Travis McMichael fatally shot Arbery with a shotgun.

During Tuesday’s pretrial hearing, prosecutor John Fowler accused lead defense attorney Brian Steel of attempting to create a "gray legal limbo" to avoid prosecution. State Attorney General Chris Carr’s office is prosecuting the case.

Court filings reveal that Johnson and Greg McMichael exchanged 16 phone calls in the days and weeks following Arbery’s death. On the day of the shooting, McMichael left Johnson a voicemail, evidence that prosecutors say underscores their allegations of misconduct.

Johnson has denied any wrongdoing. Jury selection for her trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 21, 2025, with attorneys estimating the case will take about two and a half weeks to complete.

The charges against Johnson stem from her alleged efforts to protect her former investigator, Greg McMichael, and her alleged attempt to impede the police’s ability to hold Travis McMichael accountable. The trial will shine a spotlight on the broader issue of accountability within the criminal justice system, particularly in cases involving public officials.