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Ex-prosecutor’s trial ends as judge throws out her felony indictment in Ahmaud Arbery death case

Feb 5, 2025 | 7:50 AM

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A judge has thrown out a felony indictment against a former Georgia prosecutor, ending her trial on charges that she abused her power to protect the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in 2020.

District Attorney Jackie Johnson was coastal Glynn County’s top prosecutor when Arbery was fatally shot nearly five years ago.

Senior Judge John R. Turner on Wednesday dismissed the 2021 indictment charging Johnson with violating her oath of office, citing technical errors with its wording.

The same judge on Monday ordered Johnson acquitted of a misdemeanor charge of obstructing police.

Three white men in pickup trucks chased Arbery through their neighborhood before he was fatally shot. They were later convicted of murder and hate crimes.

Russ Bynum, The Associated Press