The Death of Ahmaud Arbery

From what I gather the guy taking the video wasn't a bystander, he was a third assailant and they believed Arbery was a burglar.

So that's all just hunky dory....

It's Georgia.

You're wrong. Especially with the production of the video. It's clear the two men fired on Arbery first and since he has the legal right to jog and carry he would have been justified in shooting back.

It's not a lynching. It's a murder. Yes technically lynching is murder but words matter. The victim wasn't hung. He was shot to death.

Because America is filled with assholes of all colors and you may need to defend yourself against one or more of them.

Well than he should probably be arrested too.

Because sometimes ex cops run them down and murder them, duh.

FTFY

From the video and the statements of the two (potential) defendents, a few things seem very certain: the McMichaels initiated an armed confrontation with Arbery, Arbery made an aggressive move toward the younger McMichael who was armed with a shotgun, three shots were fired during the struggle between the younger McMichael and Arbery, and Arbery was struck by and killed by at least one of the shots from the younger McMichael.

It's going to come down to: were the McMichaels legally justified in their display of armed force. If they were, Arbery's shooting would be lawful self-defense. If they were not, Arbery's move against the younger McMichael could itself be considered an act of self-defense.

Still to be answered: what did the McMichaels know and how do Georgia's laws deal with their actions?

My first impression is that this shooting doesn't seem to pass the smell test. But I need more facts before I come to a definite opinion.

You won't get any argument from me there. There seems to be plenty of evidence to justify that much.

As someone once said, "I know I'm being paranoid, but am I being paranoid enough?"

The only reason I can think of is you are jogging in australia, africa, or south america. Not in fucking georgia. If I ever go to the outback I am bringing a fucking mech suit because there are spiders and hornets there that will kill you like in Starship Troopers. That shit was filmed live in the australian outback you know.

I have been in some of the worst crime ridden places in america, in a fucking dress and no gun.

You sound like a fucking wuss to me.

So Paladin is still undecided after the video.

That is some hard core fucking racist shit right there. Even the normal crew of racists thinks that is no way to treat a black man, but paladin has got to see more. That is some special fucked up shit dude. There must be some old school US slave trader in your blood. Fucking wow.

There are two reasons you don't carry a gun while wearing a dress.

#1 You're working.

#2 You're a convicted felon and can't carry one.

While I agree with you, you'd be surprised at the poor conditions parts of the US are in. Crumbling infrastructure, extreme poverty, obesity epidemics, corruption in local law enforcement and/or local government, crimes really only going punished against a select few, and open racism. Georgia for instance has a poverty rate higher than the national average. With these conditions, parts of the US are a dangerous, unsafe, or unhealthy place for certain people to live.

The country DA's letter says these rednecks were justified in waylaying Arbery because they thought he was a "burglary" suspect, and that constituted probable cause. The letter fails to specify exactly what their information was, or why it was reliable. Regardless, they could have called the police, continued to follow Arbery while on the phone with the police so the cops would know where to go, and let the authorities handle it. Instead, they jumped out armed with shotguns and, as you state, initiated a confrontation (although I don't agree with your characterization that it was an "armed" confrontation, as that phrase implies both parties were armed).

Either way, facts won't matter. Race Hustle Inc. needs for this to be a case of white men gunning down innocent black man, just as they need all incidents of white LEO vs. black/brown people to be examples of cold blooded murder. If they can't continue to present a steady stream of victimization narratives, their influence diminishes. Imagine blacks NOT being afraid their lives are in danger from trigger-happy whites every time they go to the grocery store. In that reality, there's no reason to listen to the panic mongering of Race Hustle Inc., is there?

See Paladin's post for an example of why I'm right. If the victim had a gun on him and his assailants saw it (or claimed to see it after the fact), regardless of him actually pulling his gun, Paladin and others would be arguing that the man with the shotgun was acting in self-defense.

A lynching is an extrajudicial killing carried out by a mob. Historically you're right that it was done by hanging in the US, but that's not a requirement. The key is that the killing is carried out by a mob. We can debate what number constitutes a mob, I'd argue that three or more could qualify depending on the circumstances (or better put, two's company, three's a mob).

Then you know how it is in the south - every town/county is different. Some can have a crappy police force and some can have a great one. Then again nearly every police force has a bad apple or two.
I don't know how the shooter's law enforcement tenure played out. Now that (hopefully) he will have to face the music I'm sure his history will be discussed. Not one person in Georgia feels these murderers are not 100 percent in the wrong. I cannot even fathom what their defense lawyer is going to cook up for this trial - when and if it occurs. I'm just not seeing any wiggle room for these shooters with that video evidence.

The county DA's letter goes on to try and smear Arbery by alluding to his "mental health records" and prior convictions as a way of explaining his "agression," while failing to specify what those convictions were for, or how Arbery's mental health record would be in any way relevant. Not to mention the fact that the shotgun-toting rednecks wouldn't have known anything about Arbery's history prior to accosting him.

Here's an idea - perhaps Arbery's aggressive response was caused by the fact that three rednecks jumped out of a truck and pointed shotguns at him? That would have been the natural reaction for a lot of people.


Does anyone here, including Paladin, really want to live in a country where a truckful of dumbasses can legally pull up beside you as you're jogging down the sidewalk and stick a shotgun in your face? That's not the country I want to live in.


I mean, really. Those not old enough to have lived during the time of the civil rights struggle simply don't have the perspective to realize that stuff like this used to happen on a regular basis in the Deep South. Go watch some PBS documentaries and educate yourselves.

agree, not a good idea. It's a safety hazard at every level. Also joggers rarely get robbed because they don't carry any valuables on them. And if the area in which you jog is that dangerous, find another place to exercise. I carry a golf club in my neighborhood, but only for protection from aggressive dogs.

If the guys who shot him believed he could have been the burglar seen on security videos, why didn't they get close enough to get a good description, then call the police? They could keep tabs on him as best they could until the police came, then give the police all the information they had. At no point would there be a need to confront him. And I love what they claim they said to him: "stop! WE want to talk to you!" or some such. SERIOUSLY? Strangers are following you in a suspicious manner and you are going to fall for that? That's how a lot of people get robbed. They ask for directions, ask for a light for their cigarette, whatever - then you let your guard down and they rob you. Jesus these lethally dangerous retards need to get thrown under the jail. Give them a fair trial, no doubt about it. But to just let this slide would be outrageous.

I can't wait to find out who took the video, who saw the video, and why the video wasn't taken immediately to the GBI headquarters. Why were people sitting on this video?

I still go places that scare the living shit out of you. Good comeback.

Well, the incident itself kinda answers that question.

As a southerner I feel compelled to point out this not just a southern phenomenon. Visiting relatives in Cleveland (Ohio...not Tennessee) I remember hearing racial slurs that I never heard in the south. It was an Illinois that the ACLU fought for the American Nazi's right to march. I could go on, but I think the point is clear. I don't think any state is entirely clean when it comes to racism.

That is true! I've lived in a variety of regions myself. I think a lot of people paint the south as the worst is because they were "late to the game" in honoring civil rights as a systemic/state & local government issue. But you can't judge all the people by what their government/leadership does. Thus the stereotyping began that all southerners were ignorant, racist, violent, etc.

Hmm, sounds like more guns will make it better.

hmm...it's not a gun problem it's a homicidal idiot problem. The weapon used was a common shotgun, which almost nobody is trying to ban or control. Fewer or more guns has no effect on infrastructure, obesity, corrupt law enforcement, and racism. Thanks for playing though!

I mean did you read the DA's letter? Just a bunch of racist fucks down there in good ol' GA.