Monday on Political Rewind: The federal trial to determine whether racial hatred led to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery begins in Brunswick, Georgia. And, after many months the Buckhead city movement collapsed in a matter of hours last week. But, we start with all of the Georgia connections in last night's Super Bowl.
Monday on Political Rewind: Partisan gerrymandering has reduced the number of competitive congressional seats to lows not seen for decades. Meanwhile, Georgia GOP legislators promote bills that would exert new control over the teaching of race in state classrooms. Also, the federal trial for the McMichaels for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery starts this week.
Friday on Political Rewind: This year's session of the General Assembly might be defined by efforts to control what is taught in the state’s schools. GOP bills banning “critical race theory” and “obscene” books are in the mix. Our panel looks at the potential impact. Meanwhile, one defendant in the federal trial of the murderers of Ahmaud Arbery withdraws his guilty plea, ensuring the hate crime trial will go forward for at least one of the three men convicted in the state trial.
Travis McMichael on Friday reversed his plan to plead guilty in the federal case days after a judge rejected terms of a plea deal that was met with passionate objections by Ahmaud Arbery's parents.
McMichael and his son Travis had agreed to plead guilty in return for serving time in a federal prison instead of a state one in a deal rejected by a judge after Arbery's parents objected to it.
Tuesday on Political Rewind: A judge rejected a plea deal in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. Meanwhile, the Fulton County district attorney asked the FBI for security help as she investigates former President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the election. Sonny Perdue could be back on track to become the next chancellor for the Georgia university system. And a Senate committee takes up constitutional carry today at 4 p.m.
Monday on Political Rewind: The McMichaels have reached a plea deal to avoid federal charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, but a judge needs to sign off on it. Arbery's parents are calling the deal a betrayal. Meanwhile, David Shafer, the chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, has been subpoenaed. He'll testify to the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. Plus, we look at how the Supreme Court could change after the retirement of Justice Breyer.
Prosecutors in the federal hate crimes case against the white men convicted of murdering Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery say that they have reached plea agreements with two of the three defendants.
Travis McMichael, who pulled the trigger, and his father, Greg, have no chance for parole. A federal hate crimes trial remains in a case widely seen as racially motivated.
On this week's Georgia Today podcast, we explore the emotional toll surrounding the Brunswick trial of the three men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery. During the trial, says Larry Hobbs from the Brunswick News, "Marcus Arbery and Wanda Cooper-Jones were the faces of courage — to see these images of their son over and over again, to hear what the defense said about their son — this was a grueling episode for them." After the guilty verdicts in the long-awaited trial, where do Brunswick and Glynn County go from here?
Monday on Political Rewind: Scientists say there is much to learn about the dangers of the new coronavirus variant. Meanwhile, residents in Brunswick and Glynn County go about their days in aftermath of the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial.
Friday on Political Rewind: A verdict in a trial from a small town in Georgia gripped the nation. Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan were found guilty of murder charges on Wednesday. However, questions linger about what the case means for racial justice in the United States.
