Former Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson is facing five years behind bars for allegedly protecting the killers of jogger Ahmaud Arbery.
On Thursday, a grand jury indicted Johnson for allegedly violating her oath of office and obstructing law enforcement after Arbery was fatally shot in February last year.
The indictment alleges that after Gregory McMichael’s son Travis shot Arbery, he called Johnson’s phone and said in a 39-second call: “Jackie this is Greg. Could you call me as soon as you possibly can?
“My son and I have been involved in a shooting and I need some advice right away,” Greg added.
Officers with the Glynn County Police Department also called Johnson for advice on what to do following the shooting, CNN reported.
The Former Georgia District Attorney allegedly “knowingly and willfully directed that Travis McMichael should not be placed under arrest, contrary to the laws of the State.”
The indictment also claims that she violated her oath of office “by showing favor and affection to Greg McMichael during the investigation into the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery.”
If convicted, Johnson could face five years in prison.
The indictment stated that Johnson steered the investigation to Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill. She also recommended to the Georgia Attorney General’s Office that Barnhill handle the case without mentioning that she had already talked about the case with Barnhilll, thus failing to treat Arbery’s family ‘fairly and with dignity.’
In a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Georgia, Arbery’s grieving mother Wanda Cooper-Jones claims that Barnhill’s ruling delayed the arrest of Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan Jr.’s arrest by 74 days, according the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The suit alleges that there was a “deliberate effort to cover up Ahmaud’s murder,” adding: “For nearly three months, Glynn County police officers, the chief of police and two prosecutors conspired to hide the circumstances surrounding Ahmaud’s death and to protect the men who murdered him.”
It further claims that Johnson told police the charges were not necessary.
On November 24, Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan were all found guilty of Arbery’s murder.
Gregory was found guilty of aggravated assault, felony murder, criminal attempt to commit a felony, and false imprisonment.
Travis was found guilty of felony murder, malice murder, criminal attempt to commit a felony, false imprisonment, and aggravated assault.
Bryan was also found guilty of aggravated assault, felony murder, criminal attempt to commit a felony, and false imprisonment.
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