One of the men accused of murdering unarmed black man Ahmaud Arbery in the US state of Georgia used a racial slur after shooting him, a court has heard.
A Georgia state investigator said Travis McMichael used the slur and an expletive as Mr Arbery lay on the ground.
Mr Arbery was jogging when he was chased down by Mr McMichael and his father in Brunswick in February.
The case caused widespread outrage after footage was leaked online.
Travis and Gregory McMichael a former police officer - are facing murder charges. Another man, William Bryan, faces charges of murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
A rally has been taking place outside the Glynn County courthouse, where the preliminary hearing was being held, and further protests are expected.
Special Agent Richard Dial of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation told the court that co-defendant William Bryan heard Travis McMichael use the slur after shooting Mr Arbery.
"Mr Bryan said that after the shooting took place before police arrival, while Mr Arbery was on the ground, that he heard Travis McMichael make the statement," Agent Dial said.
He described how the McMichaels and Mr Bryan chased Mr Arbery in pick-up trucks as he jogged in their neighbourhood.
Mr Arbery "just enjoyed running", Agent Dial said.
What happened to Ahmaud Arbery?
In the moments before the fatal confrontation, the McMichaels, who are white, armed themselves with a pistol and shotgun and pursued Mr Arbery in a pickup truck in the Satilla Shores neighbourhood.
Gregory McMichael told police he believed that Mr Arbery resembled the suspect in a series of local break-ins.
Mr Bryan's 36-second video leaked online on 5 May, generating a nationwide outcry that was swiftly followed by murder charges. It was filmed by Mr Bryan from his vehicle while he was driving behind Mr Arbery.
The clip appears to show Mr Arbery running down a tree-lined street as the McMichaels wait ahead for him in their vehicle.
A tussle follows between the younger McMichael and Mr Arbery, who falls to the ground.
The three defendants were not charged until more than two months after Mr Arbery was killed. State police began investigating after footage of the incident began circulating and no action was taken by Glynn County police. Charges were then filed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Comments
Post a Comment
if you have any doubts. Please let me know