Judge deals massive blow to defendants in Ahmaud Arbery case — allows their Confederate plates as evidence

On Friday, The Daily Beast reported that the trials against the Georgia men who killed Ahmaud Arbery have taken a new turn — the judge is denying their request to exclude a picture of the Confederate license plates one of them sported on their truck.

Previous reporting indicated the defense had sought to keep the jurors from being given that information.

"The plate depicts an old Georgia flag with a Confederate emblem on it. The flag was in use in the state from 1956 until it was officially replaced in 2001. Jason Sheffield, an attorney representing Travis McMichael, said on Thursday that a photograph of the truck that shows the flag was seen as a 'symbol of racism' by many during jury selection," reported Andrew Boryga. "But prosecutor Linda Dunikoski said the plate is something McMichael consciously chose to put on his truck after buying it in Jan. 2020. 'He wanted the world to know this.'"

Travis McMichael and his father, Greg McMichael, along with neighbor William "Roddy" Bryan, pursued Arbery with guns and made a citizen's arrest when they saw him jogging in Brunswick in January 2020, and Arbery was shot and killed in the ensuing struggle. A video of the incident shot by Bryan was ultimately made public. They are charged with murder.

The trial has already drawn controversy after motions by the defense ultimately empaneled a nearly all-white jury — which prosecutors have said is racial discrimination.