(WASHINGTON) — First lady Jill Biden kicked off the holiday season in the nation’s capital on Monday by accepting delivery of the official White House Christmas tree — with all the sleigh bells and whistles one might expect.
This year’s tree — an 18.5-foot Fraser fir — hails from Jefferson, North Carolina. The White House welcome event on Monday afternoon marked 56 years of the tradition.
The tree arrived at the White House Portico on an evergreen-colored carriage decked out in holiday greenery and pulled down the driveway by two Clydesdale horses — Ben and Winston — who were adorned with silver sleigh bells and with paper Christmas trees in their braids. A four-piece band played Christmas classics, including “O, Christmas Tree” and “O, Come All Ye Faithful,” as the tree was delivered.
Wearing a red coat and a white dress, the first lady accepted the Christmas tree in apparent delight following a quick quality inspection.
“It’s beautiful — it’s magnificent, actually,” she told reporters when asked what she thought of the tree.
This tree will be on display in the Blue Room, where the chandelier will be temporarily removed to accommodate the full height of the tree, according to the White House.
Following the first lady’s acceptance, the Christmas tree will be decorated for the holiday season.
In addition to the Estes family, which provided the tree after winning the National Christmas Tree Contest for their third year, the first lady also invited the Harrell Family to mark the occasion, to represent and honor the families of active National Guard members who are spending the holidays apart this year.
A National Guard mom herself, Biden intended to honor the role of the National Guard this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House said.
Biden’s family was also on hand for the acceptance including son Hunter and his son, Beau Jr., whom the first lady handed a branch that she plucked from the tree.
The first lady has not yet announced the theme of this year’s decorations at the White House, expected to be unveiled in the coming days.
She told reporters her message for service members this holiday season is to “be safe and have a happy, healthy holiday.”
ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky contributed to this report.
(WAUKESHA, Wis.) — Five people were killed and more than 40 were hurt when an SUV barreled into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
Children are among the injured.
A person of interest is in custody, authorities said.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Nov 22, 4:37 pm
Suspect previously arrested for running woman over with SUV, court records show
Darrell Brooks, the suspect accused of driving into a Christmas parade on Sunday, killing five, was arrested last month for using a 2010 maroon Ford Escape to run over the mother of his child, according to court documents.
This appears to be the same vehicle used to plow through the parade.
In early November, a woman told police Brooks had pulled up beside her following an earlier domestic dispute and instructed her to get into his car, the documents said. When she refused, Brooks hit her in the face with a closed fist, according to the criminal complaint.
As she walked away through a gas station parking lot, Brooks “intentionally” ran her over with his car, the complaint said.
Brooks, 39, is set to make his first court appearance on Tuesday in connection to Sunday’s incident. He is charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, police said.
-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky
Nov 22, 3:00 pm
81-year-old, 79-year-old among the 5 killed
An 81-year-old man, Wilhelm Hospel, and a 79-year-old woman, Virginia Sorenson, were among the five killed, police said at a news conference. The other victims were 71-year-old LeAnna Owen, 52-year-old Tamara Durand and 52-year-old Jane Kulich.
The suspect, 39-year-old Darrell Brooks, is charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide, police said. More charges are possible, police said.
The suspect was involved in a domestic disturbance minutes prior to the deadly crash, police said.
Besides the five killed, 48 were hurt when the suspect “intentionally drove his maroon SUV through barricades into a crowd of people,” police said.
One officer fired shots to try to stop the driver, but stopped shooting because so many parade-goers were present, police said. No one was hurt by the gunfire and the officer is on administrative leave, police said.
Police said the suspect acted alone and this was not a terrorist event.
Officials said this “Norman Rockwell-type Christmas parade” has been held for decades.
Nov 22, 1:43 pm
Biden says he prays ‘spirit’ of Thanksgiving will ‘lift up’ families
In his first comments on the deadly crash, President Joe Biden said Monday, “While we don’t have all the facts and details yet, we know this morning that five families in Waukesha are facing fresh grief of a life without a loved one.”
“At least 40 Americans are suffering from injuries, some of them in critical condition, and an entire community is struggling, struggling to cope with the horrific act of violence,” Biden said.
“Last night, the people of Waukesha were gathered to celebrate the start of a season of hope and togetherness and Thanksgiving,” he continued. “This morning, Jill and I and the entire Biden family, and I’m sure all of us, pray that that same spirit is going to embrace and lift up all the victims of this tragedy, bringing recovery from the injuries and wrapping the families of those who died in support of their community.”
The administration is “monitoring the situation very closely,” Biden added.
-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky
Nov 22, 1:22 pm
Person held by police is 39-year-old Darrell Brooks
The person being held by police is 39-year-old Darrell Brooks, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News. Brooks has not been charged with a crime in connection with the parade incident nor has he been named a suspect.
-ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Josh Margolin, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky
Nov 22, 12:29 pm
6 kids in critical condition
Ten of the 18 children taken to Children’s Wisconsin hospital were admitted to the ICU, including six children in critical condition, hospital officials said.
Three of the ICU patients are in serious condition and one is in fair condition.
Another eight patients were admitted in fair conditions and two of the 18 children have since been discharged, officials said.
The hospitalized children range in age from 3 to 16 and include three sets of siblings, officials said. Injuries include serious head injuries and broken bones.
Six children were sent to the operating room Sunday night and another two children will undergo surgery on Monday, officials said.
-ABC News’ Josh Hoyos
Nov 22, 11:23 am
Man recounts ‘SUV hurtling towards me’
Brayden Kowalski was at the parade in Waukesha, which he described as “a very loving community,” when he “saw about a block away, the SUV hurtling towards me.”
He pulled his nephews, ages 4 and 6, out of the vehicle’s path at the last minute. The SUV was about 5 feet away, Kowalski said.
Kowalski said he “was fear-stricken, but I just, I tried the best I could to help,” escorting people from the street over to the sidewalks.
Of the driver, he said, “I don’t know if they were targeting people, but they for sure weren’t dodging people. “
Nov 22, 11:07 am
18 treated at children’s hospital
Children’s Wisconsin, the pediatric trauma center for the area, has treated 18 children following the crash, hospital officials said.
Nov 22, 10:55 am
Driver may have been fleeing previous incident
Based on video evidence and interviews, investigators’ preliminary assessment is that the driver wasn’t aiming at specific parade participants but was speeding through the route to flee an earlier incident, multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Authorities scoured social media and other digital platforms associated with the person of interest overnight. At this point authorities have no reason to believe there is any connection to radicalization, extremism or the ongoing debate about the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, the sources said.
-ABC News’ Josh Margolin, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky
(BATTLE CREEK, Mich.) — Negotiations are resuming on Monday between Kellogg Co. and the union representing some 1,400 cereal plant workers who have been on strike for more than six weeks.
The workers, who have been striking since Oct. 5, are being represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). Talks between union leaders and Kellogg’s fizzled early in November after the two sides failed to reach an agreement and further negotiations were put on hold for weeks before Monday’s meeting.
The ongoing strike involves Kellogg’s plants across four states and comes amid a spate of work stoppages hitting the private sector in the U.S. Unique labor market conditions in the wake of the COVID-19 shock to the economy, including record-high levels of workers quitting their jobs, have been linked to new employee activism in recent weeks.
“We look forward to getting back to the table and are committed to negotiating in good faith,” Kellogg’s said in an update Friday. “We remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement soon so our employees can get back to work and back to their lives.”
The union rejected a proposal from Kellogg’s on Nov. 4, saying in a statement at the time that the company’s “last, best and final offer does not achieve what our members are asking for; a predictable pathway to fully vested, fully benefitted employment for all employees with no concessions.”
“The company came to the table insisting that there will only be an agreement if the Union accepts the company proposal exactly as it has been written,” the union’s statement added. “The company’s proposal was filled with conditions and terms as to what was acceptable to Kellogg’s. These terms and conditions are unacceptable to our members.”
After the union rejected the proposal, Kellogg said it was continuing operations at the four plants where the workers are on strike with hourly and salaried employees and “third-party resources producing food.”
“The bottom line is that our proposals address what the union has told us are their primary concerns,” Ken Hurley, Kellogg’s head of labor relations, said in a statement. “The union does not seem interested in revising its proposals or exploring creative solutions to resolve issues.”
The union and Kellogg’s did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for further comment.
The striking workers in Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Tennessee help produce Kellogg cereals including Rice Krispies, Raisin Bran, Fruit Loops, Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes, according to the union.
A separate strike at agricultural machinery giant John Deere ended just last week after waging on for over a month. The new agreement gave John Deere workers an $8,500 signing bonus and a 20% increase in wages over the life of the contract, among other things, in a deal some say highlights the new power workers are seizing in a post-pandemic labor market.
(NEW YORK) — COVID-19 booster shots are now authorized for anyone over the age of 18. For anyone hoping to get a COVID-19 booster dose before the Thanksgiving holiday, experts say it’s important to understand that protection doesn’t kick in right away.
Although the body starts to increase antibodies within a few days after the shot, it takes two weeks for peak protection to return.
“There is a meaningful increase in antibody titers by one week and peak responses at 2 weeks following mRNA boosting,” said Dr. Dan Barouch, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
More than 32 million people in the U.S. have already received a COVID-19 booster dose. The FDA and CDC say it’s safe to mix and match boosters.
COVID-19 booster shots are composed of the same formulation as the current COVID-19 vaccines. But the Moderna vaccine booster is given at half the dose of the primary Moderna series.
Studies show the immunity gained from the primary vaccine series may decline over time — particularly protection against mild breakthrough infections. Therefore, experts recommend booster vaccination to increase immunity.
“The booster shot will have a similar response as the second dose of the primary series. The highest antibody level will be around 10-14 days and then things will level off. The antibody levels will decline as it would with all vaccines, however the boosters help to stabilize the antibody levels,” said Dr. Simone Wildes, an infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health in Massachusetts.
Public health experts say booster shots could also help slow the spread of COVID-19 within communities. However, to truly curb the pandemic, it’s far more important for the unvaccinated to get their initial doses.
The expanded authorization of the Moderna and Pfizer boosters comes right in time for the holidays to allow many more Americans to get their booster shots before the holidays for safer travels and gatherings. The expanded authorization to now everyone over the age of 18 also helps eliminate any confusion on who may receive booster shots and ensures boosters are available to everyone who needs one.
Esra Demirel, MD is an OB-GYN resident physician at Northwell Health-North Shore University Hospital & LIJ Medical Center and is a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit.
(WASHINGTON) — More than 90% of the nation’s 3.5 million federal workers have gotten at least one COVID shot with the “vast majority” of employees fully vaccinated and another 5% either requesting an extension or exemption, the Biden administration was expected to announce on Monday.
Officials said the numbers — which include civilian and military personnel — show the government won’t see disruptions this holiday season in because of the mandate.
It’s still unclear though exactly how many workers in critical jobs like border patrol, prisons and airport security have sought medical or religious exemptions. It also wasn’t immediately clear when those employees would run out of options if denied, with agencies just now beginning the counseling process but given ample leeway to decide how to handle workers who refuse to get a shot.
“There won’t be disruptions to government services and operations,” said a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of an announcement later Monday. “At each step of this process we’ll see even more employees getting vaccinated.”
Overall, the White House says 95% of employees total are “in compliance,” meaning they either have at least one dose or have filed a medical or religious exemption or asked for an extension, said the official. That includes 93% of workers at the Transportation Security Administration.
The White House Office of Management and Budget was expected to release more details on Wednesday, including a breakdown of vaccination rates by agency.
The mandate is the nation’s first test of President Joe Biden’s insistence that employer requirements work. Biden has proposed a separate Jan. 4 mandate that would apply to federal contractors and health care workers.
He also has proposed that businesses with 100 or more employees mandate vaccines or weekly testing; that regulation by the Labor Department is on hold pending a review by a federal appeals court.
Under Biden’s plan, more than 2 million civilian workers were supposed to have gotten their final vaccine dose two weeks ago so as to be considered “fully immunized” by Monday’s deadline. The White House has not released estimates yet on how many of those employees did so.
Military personnel face their own deadlines depending upon their service branch.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden announced Monday he will nominate Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to a second four-year term amid new concerns about controlling inflation and took the opportunity to respond to those who have voiced opposition to Powell’s nomination.
“As chair, Jay undertook a landmark review to reinforce the Federal Reserve’s mission towards delivering full employment, for making strong progress towards that goal now, and I believe Jay is the right person to see us through and finish that effort while also addressing the threat of inflation and what it poses to our economies and families,” Biden said at an afternoon event at the White House alongside his nominees.
“Now some will, no doubt, question why I’m renominating Jay when he was the choice of a Republican predecessor. ‘Why am I not picking a Democrat? Why am I not picking fresh blood or taking the Fed in a different direction?'” Biden said.
“Put directly, at this moment of both enormous potential and enormous uncertainty for our economy, we need stability and Independence at the Federal Reserve. Jay’s proven the independence that I value in the federal — in the fed chair. In the last administration, he stood up to unprecedented political interference and in doing so successfully maintained the integrity and credibility of this institution. It’s just one of the many reasons that Jay has support from across the political spectrum,” he added, before inviting Powell to speak.
Biden also said he would nominate Dr. Lael Brainard, a longtime Federal Reserve official and former Treasury Department undersecretary, to serve as vice chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
“While there’s still more to be done, we’ve made remarkable progress over the last 10 months in getting Americans back to work and getting our economy moving again. That success is a testament to the economic agenda I’ve pursued and to the decisive action that the Federal Reserve has taken under Chair Powell and Dr. Brainard to help steer us through the worst downturn in modern American history and put us on the path to recovery,” he said in an earlier statement.
The announcement follows recent questions surrounding whether Biden would renominate Powell, a Republican, who was nominated to chair the Federal Reserve in 2017 by then-President Donald Trump. Powell was first nominated to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors by then-President Barack Obama in 2011 before Trump elevated him to succeed Janet Yellen, who now serves as Biden’s treasury secretary.
“Fundamentally, if we want to continue to build on the economic success of this year we need stability and independence at the Federal Reserve — and I have full confidence after their trial by fire over the last 20 months that Chair Powell and Dr. Brainard will provide the strong leadership our country needs,” he added in the statement.
Powell and Brainard both offered brief remarks at the White House, vowing to work on behalf of all Americans to increase the resilience of the economy.
“We understand that our decisions matter for American families and communities,” Powell said of their work at the Federal Reserve. “I strongly share that sense of mission and am committed to making those decisions with objectivity and with integrity based on the best available evidence in the longstanding tradition of monetary policy independence.”
As the president faced mounting political pressure in recent weeks to shake up the leadership by nominating Brainard to replace Powell, he talked with both Powell and Brainard about his decision on Friday, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The president regularly engaged with members and stakeholders around the decision, including with both progressives and moderate Democrats on Capitol Hill, the source said. Biden recently met with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., at the White House to get her input on the decision after Warren had publicly called Powell a “dangerous man” to lead the agency.
“Your record gives me grave concerns. Over and over, you have acted to make our banking system less safe, and that makes you a dangerous man to head up the Fed, and it’s why I will oppose your renomination,” Warren said in a hearing on Sept. 28. She said Monday she will oppose Powell’s nomination.
Biden and his team had also been in regular and close consultation with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, according to the source. Brown said on Monday he would support Powell’s nomination.
Despite Brainard winning over progressives like Warren who argue she is tougher on bank regulation and climate change, by keeping Powell in place, Biden appears to be sending a message reaffirming the central bank’s independence from politics.
“Overall, with Mr. Powell remaining Chair, communication will remain clear and transparent and policy will not veer too far off from the current dovish path,” Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, an economic research consultancy firm, said in a statement to ABC News.
The nomination comes at a critical moment for the central bank, which has a mandate to contain inflation and sustain job growth. Powell has tilted “dovish” on inflation in recent months, insisting the run-up in prices will abate as the pandemic recedes and the supply chain untangles.
Powell oversaw a busy time at the Federal Reserve as it pumped unprecedented stimulus into the financial system in response to the pandemic and now starts to unwind some of that stimulus. Wall Street had been betting on his re-nomination as a way to keep continuity in policy at a tumultuous time in the economy.
If both are confirmed by the Senate, the White House will still have several seats to fill on the Federal Reserve Board, including the lead banking supervisor, allowing Biden the opportunity to reshape the central bank in a more drastic way with those picks.
Economists told ABC News they expect swift confirmation in the Senate for the nominees.
“We believe that Biden paired the announcement of the more Democratic-leaning nominee Lael Brainard with the Republican-leaning Jerome Powell to allay objections from the progressive members of the Democratic party,” said Kathy Bostjancic, Oxford Economics Chief U.S. Financial Economist.
Although at least three Democrats have signaled their opposition to Powell’s nomination, at least five Republicans have voiced support — so it appears he will be confirmed but not without multiple Republicans supporting Biden’s nominee. There were nine Democrats, including then-Sen. Kamala Harris, who opposed Powell’s nomination in 2018 when he was confirmed by the Senate in an 84-13 vote.
An aide to GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell confirmed that the minority leader is also expected to back Powell’s renomination. Others are likely to follow suit.
Republicans are looking to brand Powell as a source of necessary stability for an economy plagued by inflation and supply chain challenges, something they’ve repeatedly blamed Democrats for.
“In light of an economy hamstrung by COVID-19, and now supply chain issues and soaring inflation thanks to the Biden Administration’s debilitating policies, the Federal Reserve needs consistency,” Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said in a statement. “Powell’s appointment is a sign of consistency, which is so important at a time like this. Stability and consistency are in the best interests of the American economy and I look forward to supporting his confirmation.”
ABC News’ Allison Pecorin contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden announced Monday he will nominate Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to a second four-year term amid new concerns about controlling inflation.
He also said he would nominate Dr. Lael Brainard, a longtime Federal Reserve official and former Treasury Department undersecretary, to serve as vice chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
“While there’s still more to be done, we’ve made remarkable progress over the last 10 months in getting Americans back to work and getting our economy moving again. That success is a testament to the economic agenda I’ve pursued and to the decisive action that the Federal Reserve has taken under Chair Powell and Dr. Brainard to help steer us through the worst downturn in modern American history and put us on the path to recovery,” Biden said in a statement.
The announcement follows recent questions surrounding whether Biden would renominate Powell, a Republican, who was nominated to chair the Federal Reserve in 2017 by then-President Donald Trump. Powell was first nominated to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors by then-President Barack Obama in 2011 before Trump elevated him to succeed Janet Yellen, who now serves as Biden’s treasury secretary.
“Fundamentally, if we want to continue to build on the economic success of this year we need stability and independence at the Federal Reserve — and I have full confidence after their trial by fire over the last 20 months that Chair Powell and Dr. Brainard will provide the strong leadership our country needs,” he added.
Biden is expected to speak about the announcement Monday afternoon with Powell and Brainard joining him for the appearance, according to the White House.
As the president faced mounting political pressure in recent weeks to shake up the leadership by nominating Brainard to replace Powell, he talked with both Powell and Brainard about his decision on Friday, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The president regularly engaged with members and stakeholders around the decision, including with both progressives and moderate Democrats on Capitol Hill, the source said. Biden recently met with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., at the White House to get her input on the decision after Warren had publicly called Powell a “dangerous man” to lead the agency.
“Your record gives me grave concerns. Over and over, you have acted to make our banking system less safe, and that makes you a dangerous man to head up the Fed, and it’s why I will oppose your renomination,” Warren said in a hearing on Sept. 28.
Biden and his team had also been in regular and close consultation with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, according to the source.
Despite Brainard winning over progressives like Warren who argue she is tougher on bank regulation and climate change, by keeping Powell in place, Biden appears to be sending a message reaffirming the central bank’s independence from politics.
“Overall, with Mr. Powell remaining Chair, communication will remain clear and transparent and policy will not veer too far off from the current dovish path,” Rubeela Farooqi, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, an economic research consultancy firm, said in a statement to ABC News.
The nomination comes at a critical moment for the central bank, which has a mandate to contain inflation and sustain job growth. Powell has tilted “dovish” on inflation in recent months, insisting the run-up in prices will abate as the pandemic recedes and the supply chain untangles.
Powell oversaw a busy time at the Federal Reserve as it pumped unprecedented stimulus into the financial system in response to the pandemic and now starts to unwind some of that stimulus. Wall Street had been betting on his re-nomination as a way to keep continuity in policy at a tumultuous time in the economy.
If both are confirmed by the Senate, the White House will still have several seats to fill on the Federal Reserve Board, including the lead banking supervisor, allowing Biden the opportunity to reshape the central bank in a more drastic way with those picks.
Economists told ABC News they expect swift confirmation in the Senate for the nominees.
“We believe that Biden paired the announcement of the more Democratic-leaning nominee Lael Brainard with the Republican-leaning Jerome Powell to allay objections from the progressive members of the Democratic party,” said Kathy Bostjancic, Oxford Economics Chief U.S. Financial Economist.
Although at least three Democrats have signaled their opposition to Powell’s nomination, at least four Republicans have voiced support — so it appears he will be confirmed but not without multiple Republicans supporting Biden’s nominee. There were nine Democrats who opposed Powell’s nomination in 2018 when he was confirmed by the Senate in an 84-13 vote.
ABC News’ Allison Pecorin contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the globe, more than 5.1 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 771,000 Americans, according to real-time data compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering.
Just 59.1% of the population in the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s how the new is developing. All times Eastern:
Nov 22, 10:01 am
TSA vaccine mandate won’t impact holiday travel
About 93% of TSA employees are in compliance with Monday’s deadline for the federal employee vaccine mandate, TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said.
“In compliance” means employees have had at least one shot or have filed for a medical or religious exemption.
Holiday travel won’t be impacted by the mandate, Farbstein said.
(BRUNSWICK, Ga.) — A jury is expected to begin deliberating the fates of three white Georgia men charged in the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery after first hearing final arguments on Monday that the 25-year-old Black man was either “hunted down” and murdered or was killed in self-defense when he resisted a citizens’ arrest.
The radically different theories based on the same evidence are expected to be laid out in closing arguments set to commence Monday morning in Glynn County Superior Court in Brunswick, Georgia. The closing arguments are expected to take all day as the prosecutor and attorneys for the three defendants are each expected to speak to the jury.
The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Tuesday morning.
Travis McMichael, the 35-year-old U.S. Coast Guard veteran; his father, Gregory McMichael, 65, a retired Glynn County police officer, and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, 53, each face maximum sentences of life in prison if convicted on all the charges.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty to a nine-count state indictment that includes malice murder, multiple charges of felony murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a 12-gauge shotgun and aggravated assault with their pickup trucks.
The McMichaels and Bryan were also indicted on federal hate crime charges in April and have all pleaded not guilty.
The charges stem from a Feb. 23, 2020, confrontation in the Stella Shores neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia. Lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski alleged in her opening statement that a series of wrong “assumptions and driveway decisions” led the men to surmise that the Black man she said was just jogging through their neighborhood on a balmy Sunday afternoon was a burglar they needed to detain at gunpoint.
Travis McMichael was the only defendant to testify during the nationally-televised trial.
He described a “life-or-death” encounter with Arbery and claimed he had no choice but to shoot the man with his Remington pump-action shotgun. He also conceded under cross-examination that Arbery never verbally threatened him or his co-defendants nor did he brandished a weapon during the five minutes Dunikoski said Arbery was running for his life.
During the trial, prosecutors relied heavily on a cellphone video recorded by Bryan. The video repeatedly played for the jury showed the unarmed Arbery trapped between Bryan’s pickup and Travis McMichael’s truck and partly captured a struggle that ended with Travis Michael shooting Arbery.
The trial, which began on Nov. 5, began with controversy when a jury of 11 white members and one Black member was seated to hear the case after a nearly three-week jury selection process.
(BRUNSWICK, Ga.) — A jury is expected to begin deliberating the fates of three white Georgia men charged in the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery after first hearing final arguments on Monday that the 25-year-old Black man was either “hunted down” and murdered or was killed in self-defense when he resisted a citizens’ arrest.
The radically different theories based on the same evidence are expected to be laid out in closing arguments set to commence Monday morning in Glynn County Superior Court in Brunswick, Georgia. The closing arguments are expected to take all day as the prosecutor and attorneys for the three defendants are each expected to speak to the jury.
The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Tuesday morning.
Travis McMichael, the 35-year-old U.S. Coast Guard veteran; his father, Gregory McMichael, 65, a retired Glynn County police officer, and their neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, 53, each face maximum sentences of life in prison if convicted on all the charges.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty to a nine-count state indictment that includes malice murder, multiple charges of felony murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a 12-gauge shotgun and aggravated assault with their pickup trucks.
The McMichaels and Bryan were also indicted on federal hate crime charges in April and have all pleaded not guilty.
Here’s how the news developed. All times Eastern:
Nov 22, 10:17 am
Prosecutor says defendants attacked Arbery because he was Black
Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski began her closing argument by telling the jury that the three defendants chased and killed Arbery based on “assumptions and decisions” made in their driveways based on rumor and neighborhood gossip.
“The state’s position is all three of these defendants made assumptions, made assumptions about what was going on that day and they made their decision to attack Ahmaud Arbery in their driveways because he was a Black man running down the street,” Dunikoski said.
She stressed that the “bottom line” is that the defendants assumed Arbery had committed a crime “because he was running real fast down the street.”
“They did not call 911. They wanted to stop him and ‘question’ him before they called 911,” she said. “How do we know that? Because that is what they told the police that night.”
She asked the jury to closely consider the evidence she said shows beyond reasonable doubt that the men committed murder.
“This is your search for the truth,” Dunikoski told the jury. “You are Glynn County.”
