Defense Attorney In Ahmaud Arbery Killing Trial Says ‘We Don’t Want Anymore Black Pastors’ In The Courtroom
The defense attorney for one of the men indicted for murdering Ahmaud Arbery expressed to a judge on Thursday that the presence of the Rev. Al Sharpton, who had been sitting with the victim’s family, could be “intimidating” to the jury.
Kevin Gough, who represents one of three white men on trial for murdering Arbery, who was an unarmed Black man, in Georgia last year, sparked concerns about the existence of notable Black pastors being in the courtroom.
“The idea that we’re going to be serially bringing these people in to sit with the victim’s family one after another,” Gough said while the jury was not present. “Obviously there are only so many pastors they can have, and if their pastor is Al Sharpton right now, that’s fine, that’s it, we don’t want any more Black pastors coming in here.”
Gough represents William Bryan, who along with Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael are currently facing charges of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment in the killing of Arbery, who was chased and killed at the age of only 25 while jogging in February 2020. They have pleaded not guilty to any of the charges.
“I have nothing personal against Al Sharpton,” Gough said. “It’s one thing for the family to be present, it’s another thing to ask for the lawyers to be present, but if we’re going to start a precedent starting yesterday where we’re going to bring high-profile members of the African American community to sit with the family during the trial in the presence of the jury, I believe that’s intimidating, and it’s an attempt to pressure.”
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“Jesse Jackson, or whoever was in here earlier this week trying to influence the jury in this case. And I’m not saying the state is even aware that Mr. Sharpton was in the courtroom, I certainly wasn’t aware of it until last night,” Gough said, adding, “I think the court can understand my concern about bringing people in who really don’t have any ties to this case other than political interests.”
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