Testimony continues in Arbery murder trial

BRUNSWICK — Former Glynn County police officer Ricky Minshew was the first officer to arrive after Travis Mcmichael killed Ahmaud Arbery with a 12-gauge shotgun on Feb. 23, 2020, in the Satilla Shores neighborhood.

Minshew arrived to find Arbery sprawled on Holmes Road near Satilla Drive “laying in a puddle of blood” and breathing his last breaths, he testified Monday at the Glynn County Courthouse.

Standing nearby that Sunday were Travis Mcmichael, 35, his father, Greg Mcmichael, 65, and 52-year-old William “Roddie” Bryan — the three men on trial for murder in the shooting death of Arbery.

Minshew said Bryan freely offered information about how he jumped immediately into the fray, joining the Mcmichaels in the harried chase of Arbery that led to Travis Mcmichael shooting the 25-year-old unarmed Black man at close range with a 12-gauge shotgun. Bryan said he did not know the “Black guy,” nor did he know the Mcmichaels who, like him, are White.

At the scene that day, Bryan appeared to be second-guessing his actions, Minshew related during questioning from Larissa Ollivierre, an assistant attorney with the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.

“He said, ‘(I) mean this would have never happened, you know?’” Minshew testified. “’Should I have been chasing him? I don’t know.’”

Now a paper mill employee, Minshew took the witness stand from morning into the afternoon during the second day of testimony in the highly publicized murder trial that has put this community of 85,000 in the national spotlight.

The Mcmichaels and Bryan have been in jail since May 2020 on charges that include murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment.

County police Det. Sgt. Shiela Ramos also testified Monday. In addition to inflicting the fatal wounds to Arbery, the three gunshots from Travis Mcmichael’s 12-gauge also sent stray buckshot into a home at 232 Satilla Drive, Ramos said. Ramos took numerous evidence photographs of the scene that day, including photos of Arbery’s chest, shoulder and wrist gunshot wounds.

Defense attorneys argue that Travis Mcmichael fired in self-defense and the three men were within their rights to effect a citizen’s arrest. Attorneys said in opening statements Friday that Travis Mcmichael called on his federal law enforcement training as a Coast Guardsman that day to guide his actions.

The prosecution contends Arbery was murdered while out for a jog on a public street.

The incident that boiled over into a shooting death in February began simmering several months earlier at 220 Satilla Drive, a home under construction near the Mcmichaels’ residence. The structure had open garage bays and doors.

Arbery had been seen on the structure’s surveillance security cameras at least three times between October 2019 and Feb, 11, 2020. The structure’s owner, Larry English of Douglas, said Arbery never took anything or caused harm to the structure.

Travis Mcmichael said he had an encounter with Arbery outside the 220 Satilla Drive residence shortly after dark several days before the shooting. Mcmichael was driving by when he said he saw Arbery on the property and that he hid behind a roadside port-o-let. Mcmichael said Arbery reached into his pants as if he had a gun when he shined a light on him that night.

Arbery entered the home again on the afternoon of Feb. 23, 2020. A neighbor called 911 at 1:08 p.m. to report it just as Arbery exited 220 Satilla Shores Drive and began running up the road.

When Gregory Mcmichael saw Arbery run past their residence, he ran inside and alerted his son. Divorced, Travis Mcmichael was having visitation at the time with his 5-year-old son, said his attorney, Richard Rubin.

Travis Mcmichael armed himself with a Remington 12-gauge shotgun and Greg Mcmichael grabbed a .357 Magnum. Leaving his son at home, Travis Mcmichael and his father pursued Arbery in a pickup truck.

Bryan was outside his home on nearby 307 Burford Road when he saw Arbery running past his home moments later with the Mcmichaels in pursuit.

“He hollered at the truck, ‘Y’all got this?’” Minshew testified, relaying what Bryan told him that day.

Minshew said Bryan told him he used his pickup truck to block Arbery at least five times — twice on Burford Road and three times on Homes Road. At one point, Bryan told Minshew he “changed him around” with his truck, forcing Arbery back into the Satilla Shores as he ran in the direction of the neighborhood’s exit onto U.S. 17.

Bryan told Minshew that Arbery tried to get inside the truck at one point. He quoted Bryan: “One time when I cornered him up over here, he was trying to get into my truck. He was trying to get into the door.”

Moments later, Bryan used his cellphone to record the deadly conclusion in a video.

Minshew had been responding to a suspicious person report generated by the 911 call minutes earlier. He arrived at Satilla Shores at 1:13 p.m. He drove slowly down Satilla Drive with open rear windows to better hear his surroundings.

“As I go a little farther down Satilla Drive, I hear two loud pops,” testified Minshew. “It was pretty loud.”

As he cleared a curve and a hedge on Satilla Drive approaching Holmes Road, he saw the two Mcmichaels hailing him to Holmes Road.

“I looked over and noticed there was two White males, one waving a hand, flagging me down,” he said.

The Mcmichaels stood on either side of Holmes Road, with Arbery’s limp form on the double-yellow line between them when Minshew pulled up.

“I observed a Black male laying in the roadway,” Minshew testified. “He was covered in blood.”

Minshew noticed the bloodied shotgun lying in the grass beside the road.

Travis Mcmichael also was covered in blood. “It was on his arms, head and hand,” Minshew said.

Jason Sheffield, a lawyer representing Travis Mcmichael, asked Minshew if he thought Travis Mcmichael was distraught on the scene.

“I would suspect any person with a ... heart would be in shock,” he said. “I don’t know what he was thinking. I was also taking in a lot myself. But I did see him pacing back and forth.”

Arbery was “laying face down on his stomach,” Minshew testified. Mishew said he then summoned Glynn County Fire-rescue EMS crews. Arbery emitted what Minshew termed as a likely “death rattle” and was too far gone for Minshew’s limited medical training.

Minshew was the first to view the video, which would spark national outrage.

Minshew testified that Bryan told him he used his pickup truck to block Arbery’s path on at least five occasions. Minshew also noted that Bryan appeared confused about the facts.

Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, asked if Bryan might also be unsure how many times he tried to block Arbery’s path.

“He did mention on several occasions blocking him and cornering him in,” Minshew testified. “I do recall him using ‘block’ and ‘corner.’”

During her testimony, Sgt. Ramos discussed photos of Arbery’s wounds, his blood-soaked and buckshot-tattered T-shirt and described how his body bag was sealed securely. Defense attorneys noted for the record Arbery wore a bandanna around his neck, cargo shorts with a long belt, and sneakers with no socks.