Prosecutors say Travis McMichael’s testimony was pivotal to their case

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. — The trio of Cobb County-based prosecutors who tried three men for the death of Ahmaud Arbery are now reflecting on the trial after it reached its end on Wednesday.

Lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski and prosecutors Paul Camarillo and Larissa Ollivierre sat down with Channel 2′s Tony Thomas just hours after the guilty verdicts were read.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The first question Thomas asked after sitting down with them was what they felt was the most pivotal moment in the trial. They told him it was the moment defendant Travis McMichael took the stand.

“Until Travis took the stand, we didn’t know where they were going with their defense,” Camarillo said.

When Travis McMichael, who admitted to shooting Arbery, took the stand, the prosecution team knew they had to go after him.

Dunikoski poked holes in his testimony by taking the now-famous cell phone footage of the incident frame by frame.

“This was not the same Travis McMichael that was out there on February 23rd, 2020,” she said. “His attorneys had gotten a hold of him and given him great talking points.”

“She did a phenomenal job and that sealed it for us,” Ollivierre commented.

RELATED STORIES:

• Ahmaud Arbery: Guilty verdicts for 3 men charged in murder trial
• Georgia leaders react to guilty verdicts in death of Ahmaud Arbery
• PHOTOS: Jury finds three men charged in Ahmaud Arbery’s death guilty
• What’s next for the trio of men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery?
• Activists hold impromptu march calling guilty verdicts in Arbery trial a historical victory
• ‘I’m still shaking.’ Former special prosecutor in Arbery murder case happy with guilty verdicts
• ‘I finally got justice for Ahmaud.’ Mother reacts to guilty verdicts in Arbery murder case

After the verdicts were read and prosecutors walked out to a cheering crowd, defense attorneys spoke about appeals and devastated clients.

“These are two men who honestly believe that what they were doing was the right thing to do,” said defense attorney Jason Sheffield.

“I could look at him and tell how he felt,” Roddie Bryan’s defense attorney Kevin Gough said.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Each convicted murderer is facing up to life sentences plus 35 years when they are sentenced. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

‘I’m still shaking.’ Former prosecutor in Arbery murder case gets emotional over guilty verdicts Joyette Holmes oversaw the drafting of the indictment that formed the basis of the case in those convictions.

©2021 Cox Media Group