BRUNSWICK, Ga. – The trial for former district attorney Jackie Johnson, who faces charges of criminal misconduct related to the 2020 killing of Ahmaud Arbery, is approaching its pivotal phase with the conclusion of jury selection set for Tuesday. Johnson is accused of using her office to interfere with the initial investigation into the incident, where Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man, was chased and fatally shot by three white men suspecting him of theft.
The case has returned Johnson to the courtroom, this time as a defendant, facing a felony charge for violating her oath of office and a misdemeanor for allegedly hindering the police investigation into Arbery’s death. Johnson has denied these accusations, stating that she recused herself and immediately assigned the case to an external prosecutor.
The selection process began last week at the Glynn County courthouse in Brunswick but was delayed due to unusual winter weather that brought snow and ice to the coastal region. Opening statements are expected to follow the seating of a 12-person jury with two alternates. The prosecution is being led by the office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr.
Senior Judge John R. Turner, presiding over the trial, has indicated that proceedings may extend over two weeks or more. The trial is taking place in the same courthouse where Arbery’s attackers, Greg and Travis McMichael along with William “Roddie” Bryan, were convicted of murder in 2021.
On February 23, 2020, after seeing Arbery run past their property, father and son, Greg and Travis McMichael, armed themselves and began a pursuit in a pickup truck. They were soon joined by Bryan, who captured the incident on his cellphone, which showed Travis McMichael fatally shooting Arbery at close range.
Greg McMichael, a retired investigator who previously worked under Johnson, had contacted her roughly an hour after the incident seeking advice, as revealed by a voicemail included in court records. The arrests of the McMichaels and Bryan, however, only ensued after the video recording of the incident spread online over two months later, prompting the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to take over from local authorities.
Prosecutors allege that Johnson demonstrated “favor and affection” for Greg McMichael and obstructed the police by instructing that Travis McMichael should not be arrested, thereby abusing her office.
The aftermath of the case saw all three perpetrators sentenced to life in prison, following their 2021 murder convictions. Additionally, they faced a separate trial on federal hate crimes the following year, where they were also found guilty.
Johnson’s tenure as district attorney, which lasted a decade, ended in November 2020 when voters ousted her amid the controversy surrounding her handling of the Arbery case.
As the legal battle continues, the outcomes could have significant implications on how prosecutorial discretion and potential misconduct are perceived and addressed in the justice system.
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