GA - Ahmaud Arbery, 25, jogger, fatally shot by former LEO and son, Brunswick, Feb 2020 *Arrests* #4

[wasnt_me]

the onus is not on the victim - despite Gough's insinuations.

I completely agree, but bryant is trying to make himself a victim. I hope no one buys it. It's not like arbery ran up to his porch and demanded his keys. Bryant willingly jumped in and arbery had no idea his intent.

 

[wasnt_me]

So, let me get this straight. Travis has constant car break ins, so he leaves a gun in an unlocked car even though parents warn him not to leave the car unsecured with valuables?

 

[tlcya]

So, let me get this straight. Travis has constant car break ins, so he leaves a gun in an unlocked car even though parents warn him not to leave the car unsecured with valuables?

yes, and then we go into how very trained he was in LE tactics while with the coast guard. talk about a swivel. !!

 

[wasnt_me]

yes, and then we go into how very trained he was in LE tactics while with the coast guard. talk about a swivel. !!

Right! Wow, can't make this stuff up!

 

[wasnt_me]

Do they know that Travis' training means nothing without authority? It's like me commanding a human to sit, stay, and roll over. Its like me telling someone else's child they are grounded. Need I go on?

What I'm hearing is he's playing cop without a badge. It's not reasonable to expect compliance, even if one did commit a crime.

 

[Niner]

Veronica Waters
@MissVWaters
·
18m
Judge is back on the bench post-lunch. Lawyers all say they're ready. They're about to bring in the jury.

HAPPENING NOW: The defense calls Travis McMichael to the stand.



Travis McMichael says he wants to testify because "I want to give my side of the story."

Satilla Shores is an older community, says Travis McMichael. Typical small-town neighborhood. A quiet community.

Travis McMichael says when he moved into Satilla Shores in 2018, crime was present but rare. By September of that year, it was picking up: He'd heard of car break-ins, people not loitering but in yards, suspicious persons, a trailer stolen. Continuous.



His truck was broken into. In 2019, it happened numerous times--so much that he started leaving it unlocked to "let 'em have at it." He talked about it with his parents and with his sister when she moved in.

Travis McMichael says neighbors would talk about these crimes, and he saw posts about it on Facebook. You might miss it if you weren't looking for it, he says. He didn't listen to police scanners, though he downloaded an app for it.



Travis McMichael says his mother "constantly" reminded his father and him to lock their trucks. Moving into 2019 he says crime was beginning to become a problem.

Travis McMichael says he talked to a 2-3 neighbors including Matt Albenze about crime concerns. Some people began to put cameras up. People weren't going out as much in the evenings.

T. McMichael noticed police patrols coming through, and these types of activities gave him concern. "It was concerning that nothing was done and they had to continue to be there. I was glad to see them but concerned you had to have that constant presence."



Travis McMichael describes some of his Coast Guard duties. Did cases like BUI, drugs, immigration. He says he sometimes wrote citations and worked with local law enforcement--like a sheriff's dept or DNR--for law enforcement investigations on the water.



T McMichael says he had arrest powers with Coast Guard. Course he took had a law component--learned about things like search & seizure and probable cause.

T McMichael says he learned about the use-of-force continuum. He describes the levels 1-6. As he lists some of these, defense attorney Jason Sheffield writes them on the huge Post-It pad in front of the jury box.





link: https://twitter.com/MissVWaters

 

[Hope4More]

He was a mechanic in the CG, ffs.

 

[pseudo_hum]

Too bad Mr. Bryan did not rely on the police sooner? why not?

 

[Kristin Esq.]

They want to talk about him using a weapon to protect himself as a private citizen.

AA did not approach TM. AA did not engage in TM. TM and GM took it upon themselves to go after AA. This is irrelevant IMO.

 

[tlcya]

WTF?! When has Travis, as a private citizen, been out and armed and needed to protect himself before? Or is Defense trying to get it in there in TM's own words that he had to "protect" himself from AA?

Judge is like wait what??? Gonna need a proffer as to where we are going here.

Had to protect himself at ATM once and once during a carjacking attempt. (insert my big ole honkin eyeroll here)

 

[Niner]

New timeline for trial in death of #AhmaudArbery from defense attorneys’ predictions: -They’re not asking judge anymore to start closing arguments after Thanksgiving -Hope to be done with their 12 or so witnesses (total for all three defendants) by Friday -Closings Monday

I then guess that Friday, 11/19 their hearing in Federal court isn't going to happen?

Anyone have access to the Federal Court - Brunswick #2:21-cr-22 - @Seattle1 - was that you?

 

[tlcya]

state says they haven't seen any police reports about either incident and it is irrelevant to the AA case.

 

[BUF]

Just an FYI….just got back and turned this on…this trial is now being shown on CNN, HLN, FOX, and Court TV with this testimony

 

[tlcya]

judge will permit it. This will backfire on defense because state will take him through those scenarios and outline exactly how they differ from the AA murder situation.

 

[Kristin Esq.]

They want to talk about him using a weapon to protect himself as a private citizen.

AA did not approach TM. AA did not engage in TM. TM and GM took it upon themselves to go after AA. This is irrelevant IMO.

Judge said to address it on cross examination. He's letting in the line of questioning.

 

[wasnt_me]

He is not protecting himself to point a gun at arbery, who is 100 feet down the road, not bothering him. That is provoking. Plus, was he pointing a shotgun at the ATM?

So suspicous people at the atm and you proceed to get out the car?

 

[Kristin Esq.]

He is not protecting himself to point a gun at arbery, who is 100 feet down the road, not bothering him. That is provoking. Plus, was he pointing a shotgun at the ATM?

So suspicous people at the atm and you proceed to get out the car?

He said that he showed the gun to the guys that came up to him and they left.

The argument here is that showing a gun or pointing it at someone de-escalates a situation. Therefore, by pointing the rifle at AA from 100 feet down the road, he expected AA to turn away, or not come towards him.

 

[tlcya]

Now discussing TM and his own "personal" "citizen" investigation into crime in the neighborhood. this was not a good idea (TM taking the stand). The state is going to rip him to shreds.

 

[Niner]

Veronica Waters
@MissVWaters
·
10m
McMichael talks about how verbal commands can obtain compliance & voice must be correct--not too quiet or too loud. It was not a goal to escalate situation. Next level up--control techniques, hands-on w/low probability of connective tissue damage or injury.

McMichael says he'd daily carry a baton on his duties--level 5. The final UOF level is deadly force. He says a situation could leap from a level 2 to a level 6. On the continuum, de-escalation is a goal. "You want the absence of escalation?" TM: Correct



Travis McMichael testifies empathy can help lead to de-escalation, can de-arm, calm someone.



Travis McMichael says he never had to use intermediate or deadly force on his Coast Guard job. They were taught, "Everybody has a weapon. Hands, fists, are weapons." He can respond with level 4 or 5 force.



T. McMichael says he's been trained to use a gun to de-escalate a situation--having it out of holster, or pointed at someone causing a threat. Sheffield: Does pointing it mean you are in fact going to pull the trigger? M: The possibility's there.

Jason Sheffield: Can pointing a gun at somebody de-escalate a situation? Travis McMichael: Yes. If you pull a gun on someone...from what I've learned that usually caused people to back off or realize what's happening. Compel compliance.



T McMichael says he's carried weapons outside Coast Guard life and has had to use for protection. State objects to relevancy. Sheffield says it's b/c he was carrying a gun in this case and his having to do it before informs him under the circumstances

They had jury step out for lawyers to argue. Sheffield says TM'll testify about 2 circumstances--at an ATM--and going for his gun made the person run away. Other an attempted carjacking, showing gun had same effect--de-escalate and protect himself



State said neither of these involved the victim and there's no word that he even called 911 over these. It's irrelevant to the jury--In the past I've defended myself from robbery with a handgun so I can pull it out trying to get someone to talk to me?


link: https://twitter.com/MissVWaters

 

[wasnt_me]

He said that he showed the gun to the guys that came up to him and they left.

The argument here is that showing a gun or pointing it at someone de-escalates a situation. Therefore, by pointing the rifle at AA from 100 feet down the road, he expected AA to turn away, or not come towards him.

Right, but his goal was to hold AA. The contradictions gets better and better.