Ahmaud Arbery Case: Bryan Defense Attorney Decries 'Black Pastors' Prayer Rally Plans

BRUNSWICK, GA — A coalition of Black pastors promises to descend upon the Glynn County Courthouse where three white men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery are on trial … to pray.

When civil rights activists the Rev. Al Sharpton, then the Rev. Jesse Jackson entered the courtroom on separate days with Arbery’s parents, defense attorneys for William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., and his neighbors, father Gregory McMichael, and son Travis McMichael, claimed the ministers sought to intimidate the jury and even demanded a mistrial.

Bryan and the McMichaels face murder and other charges and are accused of chasing Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old Black man, with a pair of pickup trucks. Prosecutors say the trio corralled Arbery and shot him to death under the auspices of a citizens arrest and claimed self-defense because they believed he burglarized a home and then tried to fight back when they approached him armed.

Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, on Tuesday pointed to the Community First Planning Commission’s callout to meet for prayer Thursday outside the courthouse.

“They have a huge rally planned for Thursday,” Gough complained in court. “One hundred pastors from across the country are going to be here for that.”

See Also: Ahmaud Arbery Case: Black Pastors Criticized, Prosecution Rests

While it’s unclear how many clergy members will attend the Thursday rally, the group did promise to meet Thursday to pray.

“Because of this heinous deed done to Ahmaud & the effect on his family and community, we felt it was time to open a Justice Center,” the Commission said Monday on its Facebook page. “Therefore, we will be there on Thursday to pray with the family to show our ongoing support with other clergymen.”

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Sharpton silently accompanied Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbery Sr. into court on the fifth day of testimony, prompting Gough’s first objection.

“We don't want any more Black pastors coming in here,” Gough told Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley on Thursday. “If a bunch of folks came in here dressed like Colonel Sanders with white masks sitting in the back …”

Walmsley abruptly clipped Gough’s words before he could finish them and later called the statement reprehensible, while warning that Gough’s comment may very well be the lure for more concerned clergy.

Indeed, CFPC coordinator Lericia Harris suggested just that, adding to the Facebook post Monday and inviting ministers to join the Thursday prayer rally even as Jackson sat with Arbery's parents in the public gallery.

“As an organization originated from a group of pastors pleading to fight injustice in order to start the beginning process of healing from racism, we are appalled by the statement made by Kevin Gough,” her message said.

Still, after Walmsley rebuffed the request for a mistrial saying to the first objection that the courtroom was open to the public, Gough on Tuesday fretted out loud that his client’s rights and the veracity of the trial were endangered, even suggesting that Jackson, Sharpton and others might be joined with Arbery’s family to “influence” and “intimidate” the jury.

“We've had instances during the jury selection process of nonverbal communications back and forth between the victim's family and one or more jurors,” Gough said in court Tuesday. Given the high-profile nature of this case and all the other unusual activities, protests, marches and other things, it's just no reason to take that risk. The court has a duty to the extent it can do so to head off issues with the public gallery before they create prejudice to the client.”

Before ending the day in court after lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski rested her case Tuesday, she and Walmsley agreed to a motion Gough made to keep a formal account of such prominent figures as Sharpton and Jackson coming into court.