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Not really sure why you are applying your state's laws to this case. Georgia's laws are easily accessible to the public. I posted some relevant ones above.I write this having spent five years (in a former career) as a POST-certified police officer in a major metropolitan city's nationally accredited police department. What follows is based on my particular state's criminal code, my professional experience, and probably differs somewhat from state to state.
1. Arbery committed a felony by burglarizing the house under construction, even though he didn't take anything, as long as he entered with intent to take something. That we do not know. However I think the garage interior security video gives credence to that theory. I think his actions on that interior garage video are sufficient to meet the threshold for probable cause. Had Arbery gone into the house without permission out of, say, pure curiosity of the floorplan with no intent to steal anything, it would have been simple misdemeanor trespassing.
2. My state allows "citizens arrest" if two or more citizens participate. Citizens arrest only have merit in felony cases, not to misdemeanors. (In fact, trying to carry out a citizens arrest for something which turns out to be a misdemeanor can get the citizens in serious legal trouble of their own.).
3. The two McMichaels had standing to attempt a citizens arrest, and to defend themselves if they felt threatened with serious bodily harm WHICH THEY WOULD NEED TO SPECIFICALLY ARTICULATE IN DETAIL. (i.e., you can't shoot someone in the back if they're fleeing, you can't shoot someone standing unarmed 30 feet away from you). If indeed Arbery tried to (or did) grab one of the McMichaels' firearms, then McMichaels had standing to defend himself. One of the videos does show Arbery grabbing the McMichaels' shotgun.
This entire incident is sad, unfortunate, and shows poor judgment by all the actors. Should Arbery have gone into that house? No. Should McMichaels have tried to effect a citizens arrest? No: Arbery wasn't running down the street with a kidnapped child in tow, nor while a blood-soaked neighborhood resident screamed for help while pointing at Arbery as he ran. Yes I think Arbery's actions were suspicious, but by his actions he posed no immediate threat to "persons" just to "property." In my opinion, nothing more should have taken place other than calling 911 and letting the police do their job.
A commonly-expressed sentiment among police officers is the preference to be tried by 12 (jurors), versus being carried by six (pallbearers). Despite my above thesis (which may differ from GA criminal code) I think the McMichaels will rue the jury's decision.
-You have to actually steal something for it to be burglary in GA. Being a lookie-loo is not a crime and is not considered trespassing. Entering another person's property is not trespassing in GA, unless you can prove an unlawful purpose. Also, I don't get why ppl are assuming the shooter+pursuers actually witnessed Arbery doing what he was doing. Even that will have to be established by the defense.
-By GA law, there is no part of the McMichaels' "citizens arrest" that was lawful. Even if Arbery had committed burglary (which he did not under GA law), they chased him down using shotguns and used vehicles to create roadblocks and corner him in. These are all felonies.
-So, at no point was this "arrest" lawful. The video also makes it clear that Arbery was trying to evade the shooter. It also makes clear that the shooter pointed his gun at Arbery before any aggression by Arbery toward the shooter, which is aggravated assault in GA. The video shows that Arbery attacked in self-defense only after the gun was pointed at his face. He had nowhere to run at that point. Arbery also has a right to self-defense.
-Imo the video is so important bc it makes it obvious to anyone watching that this was nothing close to a lawful citizens arrest or self-defense. Everything about it, the precipitation, level of aggression, escalation, use of force, is just ridiculous. You know it's bad when Fox News is saying the McMichaels have no defense.