Ahmaud Arbery: Judge qualifies 65 jurors, opening statements could begin this week

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — Attorneys are expected to begin narrowing down the pool of potential jurors in the trial of three men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery.

The judge qualified 65 people for the jury on Tuesday.

Now, lawyers can begin striking the jury, which would whittle down the number until only 12 jurors and four alternates are left.

[SPECIAL SECTION: Ahmaud Arbery murder case]

From there, opening statements could begin Thursday or Friday.

Arbery’s family calls the killing a racially-motivated attack. But defense lawyers disagree.

“It’s a story about the McMichael’s trying to keep Mr. Arbery from coming closer to them while they are simply trying to watch and make observations,” said attorney Jason Sheffield.

The actual trial is expected to last about three weeks.

TRIAL COVERAGE

• How will federal hate crime charges in Ahmaud Arbery’s death impact state trial?
• Jury selection to begin in October for trial of 3 men accused in Ahmaud Arbery’s death
• Judge’s ruling in Ahmaud Arbery case a big blow to defense weeks before trial starts
• Ahmaud Arbery’s past troubles irrelevant to trial, judge says

Arbery’s family is eager to get the trial going.

“I think that we are getting closer to the number we need to start the trial,” his mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones said. “So I’m thankful for that.”

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

No shows becoming an issue in Ahmaud Arbery killing trial jury selection Defense attorneys say about 40% of the people summoned have shown up.

©2021 Cox Media Group