The pain Wanda Cooper Jones feels about the loss of her son Ahmaud Arbery one year ago on Feb. 23, was still clearly evident during a ceremony and candle light vigil held at his gravesite last week on that same fateful date. Seated and with her head buried in her lap Cooper Jones rocked back and forth while screaming out, “That’s my baby,” several times out loud.
Arbery was jogging along Satilla Drive on Feb. 23, 2020 when he was chased down by three white men, Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William Roddy Bryan. After a brief confrontation Travis McMichael ended up shooting Arbery three times at close range causing his death. However it took months before the three men were arrested when one of the District Attorneys involved in the case said the McMichaels were protecting themselves and were trying to conduct a Citizen’s Arrest. They claimed they thought Arbery was a burglar.
“It’s been a struggle,” Cooper Jones said. “Very painful. I miss my son. I often think about the way that he left (this world). It was so unfair. It’s really been a struggle. Just sitting there knowing my son is no longer sitting beside me. Knowing that he is just lying under a slab, that I can’t take him home with me. Not today, not tomorrow not forever.”
On Feb. 16, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced the overhaul of the Citizens Arrest Statute citing Arbery’s murder as an example of abuse of the antiquated law that’s been in place since 1863.
Kemp said his administration made significant reforms to the citizen’s arrest statute to prevent vigilantism and keep communities safe.
While pleased with the Governor’s decision Cooper Jones said it’s a bit too late to help her son and regrets that Arbery had to die to cause changes to the law.
Just before the vigil the family’s Attorney Lee Merritt, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the three men responsible for Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, as well as law enforcement officials and prosecutors responsible for the cover-up and delay of justice, according to a press release from Merritt’s office.
In addition to claiming that the defendants purposefully hunted, trapped and killed Arbery the suit alleges Glynn County failed to arrest Arbery’s killers and this level of protection continued when District Attorney Jackie Johnson, who knew Gregory McMichael personally, urged law enforcement to not make any arrests before recusing herself.
The suit further states that when the case was passed to District Attorney George Barnhill of the Waycross Judicial Circuit, Barnhill issued a letter slandering Arbery’s name to justify the murder. Barnhill was also forced to recuse himself due to a personal connection with Gregory McMichael.
“The way Glynn County handled the whole case from the start, it wasn’t right,” Cooper Jones said adding she is pleased her Attorney has filed the suit. “How they went out and deputized those two men and not only did they go out and chase Ahmaud but actually kill him.”
Arbery was just one of several African American who were killed last year and throughout the passed many years. This past Saturday, Feb. 27, more than 100 cars, and motorcycles took part in a vehicle parade remembering Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and others who have lost their lives at the hands of law enforcement or citizens attempting to make arrests.
The parade stretched over a mile started on Altama Ave., in Brunswick and made its way to Satilla Drive where Arbery was killed.
Thea Brooks, Arbery’s aunt said they held a walk on Feb. 23 but they held the drive to honor all whose lives were cut short.
“Today is not just about Ahmaud,” she said. “Today was about all the lives we have lost due to police brutality or Ahmaud’s murder and so many others that we have lost over the years. We wanted to make this for everyone today.”
“This shows a lot of togetherness, Carla Arbery, another aunt of Arbery said. “A lot of unity and love with everyone coming out to support this.
The two aunts said it’s been a tough year but they learned about coming together to help others in their community as well as bring them closer together as a family.