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Months after being removed from office by voters, former Brunswick Attorney General Jackie Johnson has found herself in hot water yet again.
Earlier this afternoon, Johnson was hit with multiple charges connected to her investigation of Ahmaud Arbery's death. According to a press release from Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Johnson showed "favor and affection" to Greg McMichael, one of the three men connected to Arbery's death. Carr also claims that Johnson failed “to treat Ahmaud Arbery and his family fairly and with dignity." Most importantly, the indictment alleges that McMichael had previously worked as an investigator in Johnson's office and she advocated for McMichael's son, Travis, not to be arrested for his involvement in Arbery's death.
With these new findings, First Coast News reports that Johnson faces up to five years in prison for allegedly violating her oath as a public officer. Additionally, she faces 12 months in jail for allegedly obstructing the work of a police officer.
“Our office is committed to ensuring those who are entrusted to serve are carrying out their duties ethically and honestly,” Carr stated.
“While an indictment was returned today, our file is not closed, and we will continue to investigate in order to pursue justice.”
After news of Johnson's indictment circulated throughout social media, several people began to chime in. Most notably, Arbery's family attorney Lee Merritt called out Johnson for her handling of Arbery's death in 2020.
"Jackie Johnson— the prosecutor who allowed the truth surrounding Ahmaud Arbery’s murder to be concealed from the public was just criminally indicted by the Georgia Attorney General," Merritt tweeted.
Johnson nor McMichael's attorney has issued a public statement as of now. However, Greg McMichael, Travis McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. are set to stand trial for Arbery's death on October 18.
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