How Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers Avoided Arrest—And What Jackie Johnson Did About It

Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers Avoided Arrest at First—Now an Ex-Prosecutor Faces Trial for Misconduct

Nearly an hour after his son shot and killed Ahmaud Arbery, Greg McMichael reached out for help to his former boss, Jackie Johnson, the district attorney of Glynn County, Georgia.

“My son and I have been involved in a shooting, and I need some advice right away,” McMichael said, leaving a voicemail on Johnson’s phone.

The killing of Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, led to national outrage after a video showing the tragic event surfaced online. McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan—three white men—used trucks and guns in a violent chase before the shooting. They are now serving life sentences for murder and federal hate crimes. However, it wasn’t until more than two months after the incident that they were arrested.

Now, nearly five years later, Johnson, who was serving as the local prosecutor at the time, is facing charges of misconduct. She’s accused of using her office to interfere with the investigation into Arbery’s death. Jury selection for her trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday in Brunswick, Georgia.

Key Details About the Case:

How Was Ahmaud Arbery Killed?

Arbery, an avid runner, was often seen jogging through the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Glynn County. On February 23, 2020, as Arbery ran past the McMichaels’ property, the father and son grabbed guns and gave chase in their pickup trucks. Bryan, in a separate truck, filmed the incident.

The footage showed Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at point-blank range as they struggled over his shotgun. Arbery was unarmed and had no stolen property on him. Despite this, local police initially let the men go, with Greg McMichael claiming they suspected Arbery was a thief.

Two months later, Bryan’s video was leaked, igniting outrage. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case, and arrests quickly followed for the McMichaels and Bryan.

Who Is Jackie Johnson and Why Was She Charged?

At the time of Arbery’s death, Jackie Johnson had served as the district attorney for southeast Georgia’s Brunswick Judicial Circuit for ten years. Greg McMichael had worked in her office before retiring.

After the shooting, Johnson claimed she recused herself from the case due to her connection with Greg McMichael. Another prosecutor, George Barnhill, was appointed to take over. However, Barnhill quickly ruled that the McMichaels acted lawfully in attempting to detain Arbery, and that the shooting was justified.

In May 2020, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr launched an investigation into Johnson and Barnhill. Carr revealed that Barnhill had been recommended by Johnson and failed to disclose that he had advised police the shooting wasn’t a crime.

In November 2020, Johnson was ousted from office. By 2021, she was indicted on charges of violating her oath of office and hindering the investigation.

What Are the Charges Against Jackie Johnson?

Johnson faces felony charges for using her office to show “favor and affection” to Greg McMichael. She is also charged with a misdemeanor for hindering police by advising that Travis McMichael should not be arrested.

Johnson has denied any wrongdoing, claiming she didn’t direct police not to arrest anyone. Her defense attorney, Brian Steel, stated in a pretrial hearing that Johnson was focused on an unrelated case and wasn’t aware of the details of the Arbery case.

Court records reveal that Johnson and Greg McMichael had at least 16 phone calls in the weeks after the shooting.

Jury Selection Process

Jury selection for Johnson’s trial is set to begin Tuesday in Glynn County. To ensure an impartial jury, 500 local residents were summoned—far more than usual. Prospective jurors will be questioned about their prior knowledge of the case, with the selection process expected to take a week or more.

Why Did It Take So Long for Johnson’s Trial to Begin?

The delay in Johnson’s trial, which took over three years, was largely due to her defense attorney’s commitments. Brian Steel spent nearly two years defending rapper Young Thug in a high-profile racketeering case, causing a delay in Johnson’s court proceedings. After Young Thug entered a plea deal in late October 2023, Johnson’s trial was scheduled for January 2025.

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