A former Georgia prosecutor, Jackie Johnson, is set to stand trial on charges of obstructing justice in the investigation of Ahmaud Arbery’s killing. Johnson is accused of interfering with law enforcement after the 2020 shooting death of Arbery, a Black man, in Glynn County.
Just over an hour after his son, Travis McMichael, fatally shot Arbery while chasing him through their neighborhood, Greg McMichael called Johnson for assistance. In the voicemail left for the District Attorney, Greg McMichael urgently requested advice: “My son and I have been involved in a shooting, and I need some advice right away.”
The killing was caught on video and later sparked charges against Greg McMichael, his son Travis, and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan. The three white men, who used pickup trucks and firearms in an attempt to corner the 25-year-old, have since been convicted of murder and federal hate crimes, serving life sentences. However, the three men evaded arrest for more than two months, during which Greg McMichael and Johnson remained in contact, according to court records.
Nearly five years later, Johnson is facing trial for allegedly using her position as a prosecutor to hinder the investigation. Jury selection for the trial is set to begin this Tuesday in Brunswick, a port city located 70 miles south of Savannah.
