The man who is responsible for leaking footage of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder believed he was doing the suspects a favor. During an interview with GPB News on Friday, May 8, 2020, attorney Alan Tucker revealed that he released the video footage because he thought it was evidence that would clear Gregory and Travis McMichael.
In Tucker’s eyes, he believes that the McMichaels had the right to chase Arbery, capture him, and shoot him with a rifle.
“It appears their intent was to stop and hold this criminal suspect until law enforcement arrived,” Tucker said in a statement released to GPB News. “Under Georgia law, this is perfectly legal.”
Arbery was jogging a few miles away from his home in Brunswick, Georgia, when he passed the predominately White neighborhood, Satilla Shores.
The father and son followed Arbery in a pickup truck after claiming that they saw Arbery commit a burglary on a surveillance video. The McMichaels took the law into their own hands and confronted Arbery. During the confrontation, Arbery was shot fatally in the chest. He was reportedly unarmed at the time.
Initially, the McMichaels were not charged, possibly due to their connection with law enforcement in Glynn County — the father was a former officer and the son worked in the DA’s office — and two prosecutors recused themselves from the case. Tom Durden, a district attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit, will now serve as lead prosecutor.
On May 7, the McMichaels were arrested and charged with aggravated assault and murder after the video went viral.
