BRUNSWICK, Ga. (CBS46) – Three men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were indicted Wednesday afternoon on multiple charges, Cobb County District Attorney Joyette Holmes said during a press conference.
The indictment formally charges each of the three defendants with nine counts: malice murder, felony murder (four counts), aggravated assault (two counts), false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
"This is another step forward in seeking justice for Ahmaud. Our team from the Cobb Judicial Circuit has been committed to effectively bringing forward the evidence in this case, and today was no exception," Holmes said. "We will continue to be intentional in the pursuit of justice for this family and the community at large as the prosecution of this case continues."
Arbery was killed Feb. 23 when a white father and son armed themselves and pursued the 25-year-old black man after spotting him running in their neighborhood just outside the port city of Brunswick. Gregory McMichael, 64, and Travis McMichael, 34, were arrested May 7 on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault.
A neighbor of the McMichaels, 50-year-old William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., was later arrested and charged with felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. Bryan is the man whose cellphone video of the shooting, which leaked online before the McMichaels' arrests, ignited a national outcry over the case.
Gregory McMichael told police he suspected Arbery was a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son right before being shot. Arbery's family has said he was merely out jogging.
Bryan's attorney, Kevin Gough, has insisted his client played no role in Arbery's death. The arrest warrant for Bryan says he used a vehicle to illegally try to “confine and detain” Arbery.
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