The murder of Ahmaud Arbery

[BreatheUT]

Jason Whitlock Blasts LeBron James for Saying Blacks Are ‘Hunted’

Fox Sports 1 commentator Jason Whitlock bashed NBA star LeBron James on Wednesday for “trolling” Twitter and using the murder of Ahmaud Arbery to build his “brand.”

Whitlock was incensed that James exclaimed that blacks are “literally hunted everyday” in his Tweet lamenting the horrible death of the Georgia jogger.

“We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!” James hyperbolically tweeted on Wednesday when social media began revisiting the Feb. 23 death of Arbery.

Whitlock felt that James was making matters worse with his claim that blacks are “literally hunted” every day by white racists.

“This isn’t helpful,” the Fox Sports Speak for Yourself host tweeted.

“It’s twitter trolling,” Whitlock added. “It’s using this man’s tragedy to build a brand as more outspoken than Michael Jordan. There are all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy. Suggesting that we are hunted everyday/every time is just ****-stirring.”

​

“If the goal is to promote justice for Ahmaud Arbery, LeBron’s rhetoric doesn’t promote justice. It promotes emotion and fear, the enemies of justice. We can continue to promote emotion/fear, or we can seek justice,” he wrote.​

​

Jason Whitlock Blasts LeBron James for Saying Blacks Are 'Hunted'​

I'm with Whitlock. James is more like Kaepernick than Ali.

 

[37L1]

I don't think they would have shot him. But if you ever have a gun pointed at you (I have) I assure you that you won't know if they will or not.

Bet you didn't grab the gun barrel and hit the gun holder while trying to take it away either.

Still doesn't excuse the DS and his father's actions and doesn't absolve them of responsibility for what happened.

There is a lot about this incident that defies logic and common sense.

 

[Behr]

I’m asking because some have said they set out to kill him with premeditation and I don’t believe that

Obviously I don't know, but I wouldn't say they intended to kill him in the beginning. I'm not insinuating they ever did, but there in that last couple of minutes before they did....who knows?

 

[bamawriter]

Glynn County commissioners say DA blocked arrests after fatal shooting

So, the reporting officers wanted to arrest the McMichaels at the scene, and DA Jackie Johnson instructed them not to do so.

“The police at the scene went to her, saying they were ready to arrest both of them. These were the police at the scene who had done the investigation,” Commissioner Allen Booker, who has spoken with Glynn County police, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “She shut them down to protect her friend McMichael.”

Also:

Reynolds confirmed the harrowing video capturing Ahmaud Arbery’s death on Feb. 23 was made by William Bryan, who had helped Greg and Travis McMichael pursue Arbery as he ran through the Satilla Shores community just south of Brunswick.

So that's no longer speculation. He was being pinned in by pursuit vehicles from both sides.

 

[utvolpj]

this is where the trut version of trying every murder would have saved a lot of headache

 

[37L1]

When was the video made available to the police/DA?

 

[bamawriter]

When was the video made available to the police/DA?

Sounds like they've had it for a decent amount of time. Perhaps not immediately after the shooting, but well before it was made public.

 

[Hunerwadel]

Bet you didn't grab the gun barrel and hit the gun holder while trying to take it away either.

Still doesn't excuse the DS and his father's actions and doesn't absolve them of responsibility for what happened.

There is a lot about this incident that defies logic and common sense.

I had just gotten out of the Army and was in a parking lot near the town square with some friends. Two cars were parked togather. One was a convertible and Jesus Christ Superstar was playing. I was leaning on the hood of the convertible and this drunk about 40 years old walks up to me. He was about three feet away. He pulls what looks like a .38 snubby out of his pocket and points it at my chest. He said something abut the song being sacrilegious. His eyes were bloodshot red. I was making all kinds of apologies but it did run through my mind to lunge and try to get my hands on the gun. I even considered that he was drunk and his reflexes would be slow. I decided against it. After abut 20 or 30 seconds (seemed longer) he turned and walked away. The cops arrested him a few minutes later.

 

[Vol8188]

Why does the media continue using his hs senior picture? Wasn’t the man 25?

 

[37L1]

I had just gotten out of the Army and was in a parking lot near the town square with some friends. Two cars were parked to gather. One was a convertible and Jesus Christ Superstar was playing. I was leaning on the hood of the convertible and this drunk about 40 years old walks up to me. He was about three feet away. He pulls what looks like a .38 stubby out of his pocket and points it at my chest. He said something abut the song being sacrilegious. His eyes were bloodshot red. I was making all kinds of apologies but it did run through my mind to lunge and try to get my hands on the gun. I even considered that he was drunk and his reflexes would be slow. I decided against it. After abut 20 or 30 seconds (seemed longer) he turned and walked away. The cops arrested him a few minutes later.

Glad you are still here to tell the tale.

 

[BreatheUT]

Sounds like they've had it for a decent amount of time. Perhaps not immediately after the shooting, but well before it was made public.

If the person that shot the video is the friend of the shooters then wow. I will withdraw a previous statement that it was premeditated to shoot the guy but the whole episode is bad optics. Even the 911 recording, they are asking what did the guy do. The answer was he is running through the neighborhood. What?!

 

[37L1]

Sounds like they've had it for a decent amount of time. Perhaps not immediately after the shooting, but well before it was made public.

It's the best evidence in this case. If it wasn't available at the time of the incident that could be a reason not to make the arrest right away. Once arrested, time is of the essence to conduct an investigation as the 6th Amendment comes into play if the suspects don't waive. It is not unusual for DA's to decline an arrest under a time constraint, particularly in a serious case that requires further investigation, the suspects are known, not a flight risk and unlikely to continue offending. She may or may not have intervened on the suspect's behalf, but what difference did it make in the end other than the perception of impropriety and risk to her own reputation?

This stuff can get complicated, even more so when it is a high profile crime such as this one.

 

[GAVol]

Can someone shed light on something I heard last night on one of the news channels -- that the shooters were basically out looking for the perpetrator of the prior crimes/and or saw this guy and thought he might be the suspect, and THAT THEY WENT AND GOT GUNS AND CAME BACK to confront him. Is that true?

That would be really bad.

That's my understanding.

 

[bamawriter]

It's the best evidence in this case. If it wasn't available at the time of the incident that could be a reason not to make the arrest right away. Once arrested, time is of the essence to conduct an investigation as the 6th Amendment comes into play if the suspects don't waive. It is not unusual for DA's to decline an arrest under a time constraint, particularly in a serious case that requires further investigation, the suspects are known, not a flight risk and unlikely to continue offending. She may or may not have intervened on the suspect's behalf, but what difference did it make in the end other than the perception of impropriety and risk to her own reputation?

This stuff can get complicated, even more so when it is a high profile crime such as this one.

I went back and reread DA George Barnhill's letter. While it doesn't give the exact date that his team received the video, it mentions that they had it. So we know that law enforcement had the video no later than April 1st.

 

[KB5252]

Bet you didn't grab the gun barrel and hit the gun holder while trying to take it away either.

Still doesn't excuse the DS and his father's actions and doesn't absolve them of responsibility for what happened.

There is a lot about this incident that defies logic and common sense.

I've had a gun pulled on me on three occasions. There most memorable was a group of two off duty firemen and their police officer friend. There was an altercation inside of a bar/club words with pushing and shoving so we were asked to leave. After a few more back and forths outside nothing happens so we go to our cars. So we think it's over now and we get back into the two vehicles we came in. I see someone run up on our other friend out of the corner of my eye, he drove separate. One of the off duty firemen team over and cracked him with butt of his pistol so we run over and he draws on us. We just kind of stand there and as he backs away we go over to our friend and left, taking him to the hospital. He had a broken jaw.

Two weeks later we found the fireman at the same bar alone. We jumped him and stoked the living crap out of him. The police officer turned out to be a relative of my future wife. Small world.

 

[37L1]

I went back and reread DA George Barnhill's letter. While it doesn't give the exact date that his team received the video, it mentions that they had it. So we know that law enforcement had the video no later than April 1st.

Incident occurred on February 23rd. So until the video, they had the suspects' version of events and any other witnesses at or relative to the scene when the cops wanted to make the arrest? I would say that would probably call for further investigation. It's a good thing that that video turned up. Who knows how this otherwise might have played out?

 

[VolStrom]

I've had a gun pulled on me on three occasions. There most memorable was a group of two off duty firemen and their police officer friend. There was an altercation inside of a bar/club words with pushing and shoving so we were asked to leave. After a few more back and forths outside nothing happens so we go to our cars. So we think it's over now and we get back into the two vehicles we came in. I see someone run up on our other friend out of the corner of my eye, he drove separate. One of the off duty firemen team over and cracked him with butt of his pistol so we run over and he draws on us. We just kind of stand there and as he backs away we go over to our friend and left, taking him to the hospital. He had a broken jaw.

Two weeks later we found the fireman at the same bar alone. We jumped him and stoked the living crap out of him. The police officer turned out to be a relative of my future wife. Small world.

You must have been a really nice guy?

 

[Vol737]

Incident occurred on February 23rd. So until the video, they had the suspects' version of events and any other witnesses at or relative to the scene when the cops wanted to make the arrest? I would say that would probably call for further investigation. It's a good thing that that video turned up. Who knows how this otherwise might have played out?

Leads one to believe since the senior McMichael was former LEO and investigator, the local police were trying to figure out how to "handle" this.

 

[RockyTop85]

Incident occurred on February 23rd. So until the video, they had the suspects' version of events and any other witnesses at or relative to the scene when the cops wanted to make the arrest? I would say that would probably call for further investigation. It's a good thing that that video turned up. Who knows how this otherwise might have played out?

I agree. The GBI had it for less than 3 days before seeking an indictment.

I’m not saying they’re definitely going to be found guilty of felony murder, or even manslaughter, but the video absolutely makes it a viable jury question.

I feel like the indignation about an attempted cover up is fair based on what I saw in the video and the fact that GBI saw it the same way with, apparently, what the PD already had on hand.

Edit: maybe I misunderstood what you were saying.

 

[37L1]

Leads one to believe since the senior McMichael was former LEO and investigator, the local police were trying to figure out how to "handle" this.

They wanted to arrest him and his son. They weren't the ones trying to figure how to "handle" this. I'm sure the investigations bureau probably wanted some time to investigate this further as well. The video was a gift to GBI.

 

[bamawriter]

Incident occurred on February 23rd. So until the video, they had the suspects' version of events and any other witnesses at or relative to the scene when the cops wanted to make the arrest? I would say that would probably call for further investigation. It's a good thing that that video turned up. Who knows how this otherwise might have played out?

I'm going to disagree. The statements they gave police at the scene provide ample probable cause. And there's a pretty significant discrepancy between what they told 911 during the chase and what they told police when it was over.

 

[37L1]

I'm going to disagree. The statements they gave police at the scene provide ample probable cause. And there's a pretty significant discrepancy between what they told 911 during the chase and what they told police when it was over.

Think about it. Probable cause isn't enough at trial. You have to "prove" things. Investigations like this are never as "slam dunky" as you think, particularly without the video.

"Reasonable doubt" can let a lot of killers go free. I give you Dan White and the twinky defense.

 

[GVF]

Obviously I don't know, but I wouldn't say they intended to kill him in the beginning. I'm not insinuating they ever did, but there in that last couple of minutes before they did....who knows?

I find agreement with this.

Pre-meditated murder. Maybe not. That would definitely need some facts bore out in court.

Willfully and actively putting yourself in situation ending in the death of another. Pending trial and facts, I'd say 2nd degree. I think this could be more severe than manslaughter, but likely not 1st degree murder.

 

[TheDeeble]

Bottom line is their azzes had the gun out and was threatening him. If I am the runner my brain is going a mile a minute as I approach that truck. You have to make a quick decision on what action you need to take. Did they have the right to threaten the guy? They are going down hopefully and the more I hear the defense on here the more I want them to.

I'm not making any statements of innocent or guilt. Just that the guy would probably still be alive if he hadn't rushed the guy with the shotgun and tried to take it away.

 

[evillawyer]

Is that video the guy on the right above?

Nope, but it looks just like him