Jury seated in hate crimes trial in Ahmaud Arbery killing

A jury with three Black members has been seated in the federal hate crimes trial of three white men who were convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery.

The Black jurors are among 12 people selected Monday to hear the case, along with four alternates.

The slain Black man’s father, Marcus Arbery, said he was “very pleased” with the racial makeup of the jury.

The McMichaels were found guilty after they armed themselves and chased the Black jogger in a pickup truck after spotting him running in their coastal Georgia neighborhood in 2020.

No arrests were initially made until two months later when the video of the altercation was leaked online, the Associated Press reported.

Last month, a federal judge rejected a plea agreement that would have averted the hate crimes trial.

Opening statements in the trial were scheduled to begin Monday afternoon.

This is the second time the Georgia port city of Brunswick has hosted a trial in Arbery’s killing.

The same three men received life sentences for murder in state court last month.

The McMichaels and Bryan were separately charged on hate crime charges in federal court, having allegedly violated Arbery’s civil rights and targeted him because he was Black, the AP reported.

All three men have pleaded not guilty.

The news outlet reported that the hate crimes trial is expected to last between a week and 12 days.