Attorney: No more `Black pastors' in court for Arbery case
BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) - An attorney for one of the white men standing trial in the death of Ahmaud Arbery told the judge Thursday he doesn't want "any more Black pastors" in the courtroom after the Rev. Al Sharpton sat with the slain man's family.
Kevin Gough represents William "Roddie" Bryan, who along with father and son Greg and Travis McMichael is charged with murder and other crimes in Arbery's Feb. 23, 2020, killing. The 25-year-old Black man was chased and fatally shot after the defendants spotted him running in their neighborhood outside the Georgia port city of Brunswick.
Gough told Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley that he was concerned Sharpton's presence in court Wednesday was an attempt to intimidate the disproportionately white jury hearing the case. The jury was not in the courtroom when he made the remarks.
"Obviously there´s only so many pastors they can have," Gough said. "And if their pastor´s Al Sharpton right now that's fine, but then that´s it. We don´t want any more Black pastors coming in here ... sitting with the victim´s family, trying to influence the jurors in this case."
Jason Sheffield, one of Travis McMichael's lawyers, told the judge he didn't notice any distractions caused by Sharpton, who sat in the back row of the courtroom gallery wearing a mask.
Gough said he didn't realize Sharpton had been there until after court had adjourned for the day.
Defense attorney Kevin Gough addresses the court during the trial for the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery at the Glynn County Courthouse on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 in Brunswick, Ga. Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, are charged with the February 2020 death of 25-year-old Arbery. (Sean Rayford/Pool Photo via AP)
"You weren´t even aware of it until later?" the judge said. "I´m not sure what we´re doing."
Sharpton held a prayer vigil and news conference outside the Glynn County courthouse Wednesday afternoon to show support for Arbery's family. Afterward he joined Arbery's parents and their lawyers to listen to portions of the trial testimony.
Sharpton said in a statement that Gough's remarks showed "arrogant insensitivity."
"I respect the defense attorney doing his job," Sharpton said, "but this is beyond defending your client, it is insulting the family of the victim."
Ahmaud Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, right, wipes his eyes alongside the Rev. Al Sharpton center, as Benjamin Crump, left, one the family's lawyers speaks outside the Glynn County courthouse, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. Rev. Sharpton led a prayer and spoke out against injustice during the noon break in the trial of three men charged with murder in Ahmaud Abery's shooting death. (Terry Dickson/The Brunswick News via AP)
Family attorney Benjamin Crump, right, speaks as Marcus Arbery, second from right, his former wife Wanda Cooper, left, and the Rev. Al Sharpton listen outside the Glynn County courthouse, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. Rev. Sharpton led a prayer and spoke out against injustice during the noon break in the trial of three men charged with murder in Ahmaud Abery's shooting death. (AP Photo/Lewis M. Levine Coastal
The Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network holds a news conference at the Glynn County courthouse during the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. The three are charged with the February 2020 slaying of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. (AP Photo/Lewis M. Levine)
The Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network holds a news conference at the Glynn County courthouse during the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. The three are charged with the February 2020 slaying of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. (AP Photo/Lewis M. Levine)
Defense attorney Kevin Gough speaks during opening statements in the trial of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, at the Glynn County Courthouse, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. The three are charged with the February 2020 slaying of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery. (Octavio Jones/Pool Photo via AP)
The father and mother of Ahmaud Arbery, their lawyers, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Brunswick Mayor Cornell Harvey and others face a huge crowd of reporters outside the Glynn County courthouse, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. Rev. Sharpton led a prayer and spoke out against injustice during the noon break in the trial of three men charged with murder in Ahmaud Abery's shooting death. (Terry Dickson/The Brunswick News via AP)
Marcus Arbery, right, applauds as his former wife Wanda Cooper speaks about the slaying of their son Ahmaud Arbery as Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton stands between them outside the Glynn County courthouse, Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Brunswick, Ga. Rev. Sharpton led a prayer and spoke out against injustice during the noon break in the trial of three men charged with murder in Ahmaud Abery's shooting death. (Terry Dickson/The Brunswick News via AP)
