For Wed. Nov. 17th:
Veronica Waters
@MissVWaters
·
11h
TMcMichael:That experience w/him drawing the w--or acting like he was drawing a weapon then running into house & walking so nonchalantly around it startled me. Catching him creeping thru yard trying to avoid detection & walking and like it's no big deal was alarming.
Travis McMichael says he concluded that the person he saw Feb. 11 was the same person behind other crimes. "I thought he was breaking in and going to steal some more stuff." Brief recess as they prepare to talk about Feb. 23.
Back frm break. Juror #12, whom defense atty Bob Rubin earlier noted seemed sleepy, is going to be moved closer to bailiff so if she's struggling she can stand & move. Judge says he's made eye contact w/ her several times. She wasn't dozing but seemed to have probs.
2.23.2020. Travis McMichael was in the living room trying to get son to nap. Father came in "in a almost frantic state." Said "The guy that's been breaking in down the road just ran by the house. Something's happened."
TMcMichael: "I assumed it was the same guy from Feb. 11. I think he told me to grab my gun...so I grabbed the shotgun." Dad went into bedroom. TM went to truck. Looked toward 220 Satilla and saw neighbor Matt Albenze in the road.
McMichael: Matt saw me, and pointed down the road, down Satilla Dr. With the events of Feb 11 I thought it was reasonable that there's something to this, Matt may've seen him, caught him breaking in or stealing something, or God forbid an altercation"
Travis McMichael: Dad came out, said, Get in the truck. TM put shotgun in crease of bench seat. Muzzle toward floor near gas. Dad got in truck "stuffed in the car seat." I think he was cussin about having to get in car seat (Think I saw GM chuckle at this)
T McMichael says he assumed his father had called police. About that time we were at Satilla & Holmes. Riding the brake. Not honking or yelling out window. He pulls up next to #AhmaudArbery. Doesn't hit him with truck.
McMichael: This is likely the guy I saw. I'm watching his hand to see if he's armed. Pull up alongside him. Recognize him from the 11th. I say, "Hey. What are you doing? What's going on?" #AhmaudArbery is parallel to door.
Travis McMichael says he's talking in regular tone of voice, trying to de-escalate; this could go any way, but I'm trying to find out what's going on. I say, Hey, stop for a minute! Please stop! Sheffield: You said please? TM: I'm sure I did.
T McMichael: "I notice his demeanor. He looks over to me. First communication 4-5 feet away. Stop, I wanna talk to you. He's still running. He looks very angry--mad. It wasn't what I expected for just coming up talking to him. Clenched teeth--he was mad."
McMichael says #AhmaudArbery doesn't speak; he starts jogging back towards Burford. I reverse, match up with him again--Hey, what's going on? He turns and runs back to Zellwood.
Travis McMichael says his question there was wanting to know why the neighbor's pointing down the road toward this guy. "We need to figure out what's happening." Were you aware of Mr. Bryan at that moment? TM: No. Didn't know him.
Sheffield: Did you look at Bryan and say Let's go, help us out? T McMichael: No. #AhmaudArbery didn't speak. I was watching his hands, his demeanor. I came up to him again to say, The police are coming. (They again demonstrate for jurors how close)
T McMichael: I ask what's going on. He still looks angry. I think, man, this could be volatile. Kinda watch him here. I ask, why're people pointing? What're u running from? I said, Police are coming. As soon as I said "police" #AhmaudArbery turned & sprinted down Burford
McMichael testifies when #AhmaudArbery turned and ran at mention of police, it made him suspicious--he may have been caught in that house again and he's up to....trying to evade being stopped by police. Obviously since he's running.
McMichael says he never brandished his gun. When #AhmadArbery stopped TM thought they were going to speak. Then TM mentioned police and Arbery ran as dad was getting out to get in truck bed.
McMichael looked up and saw a black pickup. Didn't know where it came from. Saw #AhmaudArbery turn, go near it. Didn't know if guy was picking Arbery up. Also thought, I might hear a gunshot here. I didn't know; was on alert. Arbery got in front of it, went down road
McMichael says, I got back in my truck. Dad's seeing this as well. Telling me, Go down there, toward #AhmaudArbery. Sheffield: Do you? TM: I do not. I don't know what's going on w/this guy & don't want to escalate the situation
McMichael says he thinks, There's a likelihood something's happened. Don't know what he's doing interacting w/ this truck; something's not right. Cops are coming, I'm not going to escalate this any further. My goal is to let police know where he's at
T. McMichael guesses 2 minutes might've elapsed by now. He goes down Buford to Zellwood to get bearings, figure out what's going on. I can figure where he's at, tell police, finally have this guy caught.
Halfway down Holmes, McMichael sees #AhmaudArbery turn. TM says he's driving slowly. Shortly sees black truck coming towards him frm Satilla twds Zellwood. Arbery is "running with the truck & looks like he's grabbing truck...looks like he's trying to get in the door"
Sheffield: Wondering why #AhmaudArbery isn't going somewhere other than this vehicle? McMichael: That was my thought. Why is he attacking a truck? Why is he hitting a truck?
McMichael says he's come to a stop. They're coming down Holmes, slowly angling into my lane. In front of my vehicle, hope they don't hit my truck. Mr. #AhmaudArbery's involved with Mr. Bryan, Bryan's involved w/Arbery. Truck gets in correct lane. Arbery runs off
McMichael: #AhmaudArbery & Bryan went around the dogleg. McMichael doesn't want to get more involved at this point. He parked his truck; they were out of sight. I'm still under impression police are coming. This guy's obviously--something's not right. He seems dangerous
Travis McMichael asked dad, Where're the police? Dad says he doesn't have his phone. TM goes to grab his phone. Sees #AhmaudArbery coming back toward him from the dogleg. I yell, Stop!
T McMichael says #AhmaudArbery was about 30 yards away as he yells, Stop right there! Arbery's not looking left or right, not a full sprint or job, but like a running back on toes ready to bolt.
T McMichael took 2 seconds to realize #AhmaudArbery was coming to him. I'm at my truck, door's open. I go to grab for my shotgun. As soon as I do that he's 10 feet from back of truck. He turns & runs back toward dogleg.
T McMichael believes his action of going into his truck is what made #AhmaudArbery turn away. TM thought, I need to stay where I'm at. Don't know what's going on down there. This guy's still irrational. I pick up phone, call 911. Put phone to ear, see Arbery come back.
T McMichael gave cell phone to dad. He didn't see anything behind #AhmaudArbery as he came back. He was focused on me. Sheffield: What are you thinking? TM: I'm pretty sure he is going to attack.
T McMichael says Yes, there were places #AhmaudArbery could've run to. A ditch, an open yard. At this point I've screamed for him to stop, to stop. He's focused in on me. If he gets this burst out--at this point when I pulled shotgun--I wouldn't have time to react
Travis McMichael: I needed to show him, to deter him, Do not come at me
T McMichael: I had the weapon out and down. It was blatant. Sheffield: Did it have the effect you wanted? TM: Yes. He angled away. Soon as I drew weapon. You could see in the video he darts left and right. I put weapon down and move away from vehicle.
T McMichael says he was going to let #AhmaudArbery run on by. Arbery could've run out of neighborhood. He makes it to corner of road, straightens and starts running back toward truck where father is.
T McMichael: He's thinking #AhmaudArbery could jump up in truck where his dad is, or he could be armed and shoot. I move to center of road. I think Arbery's going to glance and run right. I'm losing visual on him.
T McMichael says he has gun down, ready. I get to front of truck he's at front quarter-panel on right side. He turns, in a flash, he's on me. He grabs the shotgun and I believe I was struck. I was thinking of my son. *voice breaks*
Sheffield: What'd you do? Travis McMichael: I shot. He had my gun. He'd struck me. If he'd gotten the shotgun from me--It was obvious he was attacking me. It was a life-or-death situation. I'm going to have to stop him from doing this so I shot.
Sheffield: Did he stop when you shot? McMichael: He did not. He can't remember every movement. He knows he got hit. Discusses weapon retention--push/pull method. When this happened, I got struck, I came down, got hit in top of head, he had weapon in his hand
Sheffield: Did you get gun from #AhmaudArbery's grip. McMichael: I don't believe I did. We were locked up. He was on that shotgun. I didn't know where I was at but knew he was on me.
McMichael: If I got tripped or he got a lucky strike on my head or I lost my grip, I would've been shot or in serious trouble. I knew he was overpowering me. He says he doesn't remember how many times he shot. He thought it was 2x. "He was not relenting."
McMichael says that final shot, #AhmaudArbery disengaged. He let go. Turned and continued to run down Satilla (voice breaks again). At that point I was in shock. My dad's yelling, He's got his hand under him. We pull his hand out, realize he's deceased.
McMichael says he looks up, sees police are right there. He stood up, realized I've got a gun here, #AhmaudArbery's passed away. I walked over to side and put my shotgun down gun. After that, it was a blur.
link:
https://twitter.com/MissVWaters
There are no tweets on cross by the ADA - so I picked up
@tlcya's posts for reference. Maybe this morning she might post more about the cross.
Tweets from Cathy - but not much else - she's is just retweeting Veronica's.
Cathy Russon
@cathyrusson
·
10h
#AhmaudArbery - Sheffield arguing that the state should not be able to ask TM about what Agt Dial said William Bryan told him that Travis stood over Arbery and said "f'ing n*****". Prosecutor said she needs time to think about it and will address in the morning.
NOW: Cross-examination of Travis McMichael by prosecutor Linda Dunikoski.
#AhmaudArbery - Court adjourned for the day. Cross-examination of Travis McMichael will resume at 9am ET.
INTERESTING: Sheffiled said that its his understanding that William "Roddie" Bryan WILL NOT testify.
link:
https://twitter.com/cathyrusson
