6:39 p.m. ET, November 22, 2021
Mother of Ahmaud Arbury calls defense "beyond rude"
From CNN's Devon M. Sayers and Alta Spells
Ahmaud Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper-Jones, left, along with her attorney Lee Merritt, listens to William "Roddie" Bryan's defense attorney Kevin Gough present his closing statement to the jury, Monday, November 22.
(Stephen B. Morton/Pool/AP)
Speaking after the defense finished their
closing arguments in the trial of the three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery, his mother called comments made in court by one of the defense attorneys “beyond rude.”
Arbery’s parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbury Sr., spoke to the media from the courthouse steps right after the defense finished their closing arguments.
“This was very difficult for the family, you saw them at different stages walk out the courtroom, because literally after those men in that courtroom assassinated their child, now they’re sitting here assassinating his character,” family attorney Ben Crump said.
“She described Ahmaud as his long legs and his dirty long toenails, that was just beyond rude,” said Cooper-Jones speaking about
comments made during closing statements by Gregory McMichael's attorney Laura Hogue.
“Regardless of what kind of toenails he had, what size legs he had, that was still my son, and my son actually was running for his life in that description. I thought that was just flat out just rude,” she continued
“It’s just wrong,” Marcus Arbery Sr, said about the defenses' attempts to frame his son negatively. “So, the way that they tried to characterize his name...it is just really hurting to his mom and me,” Arbery’s father said.
“They got no defense ground so she trying anything, they desperate so we already know that. So, all we want is justice. Justice for Ahamad,” he added.
“They had dozens of other people who visited the home, nobody chased them, nobody said that they burglarized the home, why is that?” asked Crump, suggesting race played a key role in Arbery’s death.