Ahmaud Arbery Case: Homeowner Never Asked McMichaels To Confront Trespassers

BRUNSWICK, GA — Ahmaud Arbery roamed around the unfinished construction site in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick five times in the months leading up to his shooting death, according to the homeowner's account reviewed at Thursday trial for the three men accused of Arbery's murder.

In a deposition recorded in September and viewed Thursday during the fifth day of the murder trial of William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., Travis McMichael, and his father, Gregory McMichael, property owner Larry English said none of the surveillance footage from the 13 cameras on the site — displayed in court — showed Arbery taking anything.

“Was anything ever taken from the structure itself, from the construction site itself?” prosecutor Paul Camarillo asked English, who lives in Douglas, and was completing work on the waterfront vacation home.

“Not that I know of,” English replied.

During the deposition that was recorded ahead of the trial because of a severe illness English’s attorney said precluded his appearance in court, English also said he didn’t ask anyone to go after the intruder from the video footage.

“At any point in time did you authorize the McMichaels to ever confront anybody on your site?” Camarillo asked English.

“No,” English said.

See Also: Arbery Death Trial: McMichaels Unsure If Arbery Was Trespass

Arbery had been out for a jog on the Sunday in February 2020 when he stopped in the unfinished English home.

The McMichaels, who lived five doors away, claim they sought to administer a citizen’s arrest on Feb. 23, 2020, when they set out after Arbery in a pickup truck, armed with a shotgun and a pistol. Bryan told police he joined in when he saw the McMichaels’ truck chasing Arbery past the English property.

The trio face murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and other charges for their respective parts in the incident that left Arbery dead.

Also, all three were indicted on federal hate crime charges behind accusations they interfered with Arbery's rights, and on one count each of attempted kidnapping, according to federal court records.

The deposition of English on Thursday dominated the morning half of Day 5 of the trial. Jurors watched the pre-recorded question-and-answer session as video footage showed Arbery enter the English property between Oct. 25, 2019 and his final stop, minutes before he was shot and killed.

The first time Arbery went into the open garage door of the house framework on an October evening, English called 911, the jury heard in a recording of the call.

“I have a house that’s under construction. I have it down at 220 Satilla Dr., Satilla Shores in Brunswick,” English told the operator. “I’ve got a trespasser there. He’s a, he’s a colored guy.”

English said his surveillance cameras were connected to an application on his phone, and as long as the app was on a certain setting, he would be notified if the camera picked up any activity.

Other than Arbery, English recalled a pair of children were recorded entering the home during the daytime and a white couple at night in November 2019.

In at least one 911 call played in court, English told the operator he wanted officers to check out the person at his home, and that he didn't want the person there.

English testified that other than police, he only gave one person permission to check out his property — a man who lives near the site, but is not one of the defendants.

That man, Diego Rivera, had offered to do so, English said, after texting to him that he'd heard about intrusions at the property.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

See also:

• Ahmaud Arbery Death Trial: McMichael's Story Changed, Police Say
• 1 Black Juror, 11 White Jurors Selected In Ahmaud Arbery Trial
• Ahmaud Arbery Slaying: Jury Selection Begins In Trial
• Ahmaud Arbery Trial: 65 Potential Jurors Qualify For Pool
• Jury Indicts All 3 Suspects In Ahmaud Arbery Fatal Shooting