This story was updated on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, at 7:38 p.m.
A former prosecutor took the witness stand Tuesday to deny charges that she abused her power to protect the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in 2020, insisting she knew few details until cellphone video leaked online two months later that showed Arbery being shot dead in the street.
Former District Attorney Jackie Johnson cried as she recalled a brief meeting with Arbery’s mother soon after the video became public. Johnson had recused her office from handling the death case because Arbery’s shooter was the son of a former employee. She said her initial understanding had been that Arbery was shot while committing a burglary. The video told a different story.
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