The latest in the trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery

The prosecution and the defense delivered their closing arguments today in the trial of Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr., the three men charged with malice and felony murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery.

Here's what happened today in court:

Speaking after the defense finished their closing arguments in the trial of the three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery, his mother called comments made in court by one of the defense attorneys “beyond rude.”

Arbery’s parents, Wanda Cooper-Jones and Marcus Arbury Sr., spoke to the media from the courthouse steps right after the defense finished their closing arguments.

“This was very difficult for the family, you saw them at different stages walk out the courtroom, because literally after those men in that courtroom assassinated their child, now they’re sitting here assassinating his character,” family attorney Ben Crump said.

“She described Ahmaud as his long legs and his dirty long toenails, that was just beyond rude,” said Cooper-Jones speaking about comments made during closing statements by Gregory McMichael's attorney Laura Hogue.

“It’s just wrong,” Marcus Arbery Sr, said about the defenses' attempts to frame his son negatively. “So, the way that they tried to characterize his name...it is just really hurting to his mom and me,” Arbery’s father said.

“They got no defense ground so she trying anything, they desperate so we already know that. So, all we want is justice. Justice for Ahamad,” he added.

“They had dozens of other people who visited the home, nobody chased them, nobody said that they burglarized the home, why is that?” asked Crump, suggesting race played a key role in Arbery’s death.

The White House is in touch with local authorities ahead of the verdict in the Ahmaud Arbery killing trial, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday, but she didn’t say whether President Biden has been keeping up with the trial. 

"The President has spoken many times to this horrific event in the past. And it's not just about this case, in his view, we have a lot of work to do as a nation," she added.

Psaki said the White House was “in touch with local authorities,” about where “there may be concerns,” and would offer assistance as needed, as the administration did during the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.

The judge in the trial of three men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery informed the court that he is sending the jury home for the day.

Following the conclusion of the defense closing arguments, the lead prosecutor told the judge that the state planned to take two hours to present its rebuttal argument. The judge asked the jury if they wanted to continue today or resume proceedings tomorrow morning, and the jury said they wanted to leave for the evening.

"Based on that, I'm going to go ahead and break for the day," the judge said.

He said that the court will start at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow and continue with closing arguments at that time. 

Lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski told the judge that she expected to use two hours for her rebuttal Monday afternoon, just before the court recessed for a short break. 

Judge Timothy Walmsley plans to ask the jurors whether they want to continue this evening or wait until tomorrow when they return.

Speaking to attorneys without the jury in the room, the judge said he would charge the jury tomorrow.

The defense teams of the three men accused of chasing and killing 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery have completed their closing arguments.  

Kevin Gough, William "Roddie" Bryan's attorney, was the last of the three attorneys to present his closing statements Monday afternoon. He spoke for nearly two hours, finishing shortly after 4:30 p.m. ET.

The court is in a short recess. The prosecution will have a chance to make remarks when the court reconvenes.

Defense attorney Kevin Gough concluded his closing argument by asking the jury to send his client, William "Roddie" Bryan, "home."

Gough said that his client, who provided cell phone video of the shooting to the police, "put his faith" in law enforcement, but his "trust was not rewarded."

"Mr. Bryan put his faith in a Glynn County police department. And then he put his faith in the GBI [Georgia Bureau of Investigation]. He put his trust in law enforcement. He put his trust in our government to do the right thing by him. But his trust was not rewarded."

He asked the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on all counts for Bryan.

Gough was the final of three defense attorneys to make closing arguments in the case.

Defense attorney Kevin Gough said, during his closing argument, that his client, William "Roddie" Bryan's "presence" during the killing of Ahmaud Arbery "is absolutely superfluous, and irrelevant to the tragedy." 

Gough argued that by the time Bryan came upon the scene, his codefendants, Travis and Gregory McMichael had "trapped" Arbery.

"Now, they do come down the road, and there is a time period before the shooting, or technically Mr. Bryan is behind Mr. Arbery. But it is clear, by this point, and certainly clear to Mr. Arbery that he cannot outrun the McMichaels. No matter where he goes, they can follow. So, again, how is Mr. Bryan's presence...in any meaningful way, a cause of this shooting?"

The defense attorney argued that the McMichaels "were certainly capable of catching up with [Arbery], and shooting him if that was their intention," without the presence of Bryan.

Defense attorney Kevin Gough played portions of the cell phone video that his client, William "Roddie" Bryan, captured of the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery during his closing statement Monday afternoon.

Bryan told the police that he followed Arbery in his truck and recorded the incident because he was trying to document what was going on. 

"He said that that is what he was trying to do," Gough noted during his closing.

But Gough continued by making the strange suggestion that Bryan continued pursuing Arbery because something was "guiding" him to do so.