Political Rewind: The Arbery murder trial begins. Calls for reform and further change continue

Caption

A woman wears a face covering with the likeness of shooting victim Ahmaud Arbery printed on it during a rally May 8, 2020, in Brunswick, Ga., to protest Arbery's February 2020 killing.

Credit: John Bazemore, AP

Monday on Political Rewind: The trial for the men charged with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery begins in Brunswick, Ga., this week.

The murder of 25-year-old Arbery by three white men led to changes in Georgia law, the indictment of a long-serving district attorney and an effort to clean up and diversify the Glynn County Police Department. We looked at what to expect as the trial gets underway and how the case reverberated across the legal and political landscape in Georgia.

The Georgia Recorder's Stanley Dunlap said the trial will have consequences for how members of Georgia's Black communities view their relationship with the criminal justice system.

"Things may continue to play out how many people feel, and particularly in the Black community, that justice isn't there for them and the police aren't there to protect them," Dunlap said. "That's one of particular concern, depending on the outcome of the trial."

Plus, while Stacey Abrams may be waiting to declare her intentions to run for governor of Georgia, she is actively working to elect Democrat Terry McAuliffe governor of Virginia.

Panelists:

Margaret Coker — Editor-in-chief, The Current

Stanley Dunlap — Reporter, Georgia Recorder

Adam Van Brimmer — Editorial page editor, The Savannah Morning News

Jim Galloway — Former political columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution