LIVE: Ahmaud Arbery Case Day 5
To date, 23 prospective jurors have been “qualified” for a third level of jury selection; ultimately, 12 jurors & 4 alternates are needed for trial
Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the Ahmaud Arbery case, with day five of jury selection, or voir dire, for the trial of Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William “Roddy” Bryan on murder and other charges over the death of Ahmaud Arbery on February 23, 2020.
Today we expect the jury selection process, or voir dire, to continue. Today I anticipate the court will begin with a new group, the fifth group to date, of 20 prospective jurors subject to general voir dire this morning, followed by individual voir dire of members of that group in the afternoon, as has been the pattern throughout last week.
The media is reporting that so far there have been about 23 prospective jurors who have made it through general and individual voir dire, and who are said to have been “qualified” for yet a third level of voir dire. Judge Walmsley reportedly wants 64 prospective jurors “qualified” in this manner, to allow for that third level of voir dire that will ultimately distill that group to the 12 jurors and 4 alternates needed for trial.
At the current rate, it could take an entire month to seat the required jurors. A key reason for the slow pace of voir dire has apparently been that so many prospective jurors have already arrived at an opinion as to the guilt of the defendants, having previously seen the infamous video of the final confrontation between Ahmaud Arbery and Travis McMichael, as well has having been subject to some 20 months of media coverage and propaganda around the case.
There was no jury selection this past Friday, with the court in recess for the day because of a scheduling conflict for one of the lawyers involved in the case.
You can find our analysis of last Thursday’s voir dire here:
Arbery Case Day 4 Wrap-Up: Media Asks Judge to Lift Gag Order from Attorneys
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–Andrew
Attorney Andrew F. Branca
Law of Self Defense LLC
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Comments
Voir dire. I think that’s French for ‘Under penalty of law, you plebes are required to piss away your time while pedants split hairs for the benefit of their top 500 reputation.’
Nope. A true jury of peers would simply cull local census numbers for prospective jurors, then draw a lottery of the first 18 people. That’s the jury. Go!
Daubert hearing today?
Ooops, wrong trial…
I tend to agree with the local attorney who opined that this case is going to be decided during voir dire, not the trial following.
If defense counsel had “a clue” they might encourage Little Bubba to shave and get a haircut. Old Bubba could lose the facial hair as well. Honest to goodness, they “fit” a stereotype that is NOT GOOD in this sort of case. Particularly Travis. GeezusH, his mug shot could have come from the casting call for Deliverance.
The defendants exhibit an arrogance that defies contrition. They do not believe that they did anything wrong and that they believe that with such righteous indignation that it was they/he who provided media with the video, the very video, that incriminates them.