Former DA turns herself in on charges related to handling of Ahmaud Arbery case

Former Glynn County District Attorney Jackie Johnson turned herself over to the Glynn County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday morning.

Last week, a grand jury indicted Johnson on charges of violation of oath of public officer and obstruction of a police officer in relation to the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery.

Johnson was booked into the Glynn County Detention Center and released on $10,000 bond.

Johnson has been the subject of several Channel 2 Action News investigations throughout her career in Glynn County, including the Arbery case.

Shortly after Arbery’s death, two county officials alleged Johnson’s office blocked the immediate arrests of her former investigator and his son after Ahmaud Arbery’s killing and before she recused herself from the case.

Gregory McMichael, 64, his son Travis McMichael, 34, and their friend William “Roddie” Bryan will soon stand trial in Arbery’s death.

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At the time of the accusations, Johnson sent Channel 2 a statement denying the claims that her office had impeded arrests, and then blasted those officials and blamed the former police chief, who was facing his own indictment for the problems.

“It is unfortunate that Commissioners Murphy and Booker have chosen to make false accusations against District Attorney Jackie Johnson in an attempt to make excuses and ignore the problems at the Glynn County Police Department, for which they are ultimately responsible,” the statement read. “Acting Police Chief Jay Wiggins has indicated that it was a mistake that then Police Chief John Powell did not immediately call in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate the death of Ahmaud Arbery.”

Johnson eventually recused herself from the case and handed it off to another prosecutor from the Waycross Judicial District who also declined to press charges. George Barnhill admitted not realizing his son had worked with Greg McMichael as a part of Johnson’s office.

Barnhill would eventually recuse himself before State Attorney General Chris Carr assigned the case to Cobb County D.A. Joyette Holmes.

The case was then handed over to current Cobb County District Attorney Flynn Brody, Jr. when he won election over Holmes in November.

Johnson lost reelection in November and is no longer district attorney in Glynn County.

After the grand jury returned their indictment last week, the family of Arbery held a virtual news conference with their attorneys.

“The path to justice for Ahmaud Arbery and his family has been a long and arduous one. But today’s indictment is yet another step in the right direction. Former DA Johnson may not have pulled the trigger on the day Ahmaud was murdered, but she played a starring role in the cover-up. Ahmaud was stalked, gunned down, and his killers were allowed to freely walk the streets for months. And why? Because DA Johnson wanted to protect one of Ahmaud’s killers: former police officer Greg McMichael,” attorney Ben Crump said.

“Ahmaud was denied all consideration the day he was murdered and in the months following his death - it’s past time that those responsible be held accountable for it.”

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Glynn County DA addresses claims she mishandled Ahmaud Arbery murder case The spotlights have been on Glynn County ever since a video of Greg and Travis McMichael leaked, showing them confronting Arbery in their neighborhood outside of Brunswick.

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