defense refers to Arbery's "long, dirty toenails" in attempt to paint him as criminal

[Demovictory9]

Defense Lawyer's Remark on Arbery's Toenails Spurs Outrage
'Beyond rude,' is how Arbery's mother characterized Laura Hogue's comment


The trial over the shooting death of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery continues, and on Monday, one of the defense attorneys found herself taking heat for a comment she made about Arbery's appearance. Per 11Alive, Laura Hogue, who's representing Gregory McMichael, stood up during closing arguments and insisted that what prosecutors say happened on Feb. 23, 2020, in Brunswick, Ga.—when Arbery, a Black man, was gunned down while jogging through the Satilla Shores neighborhood after being chased by McMichael and two other white men—isn't how she sees it. "Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choices that he made does not reflect the reality of what brought Ahmaud Arbery to Satilla Shores in his khaki shorts, with no socks to cover his long, dirty toenails," Hogue declared.

That comment brought a strong reaction from Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery's mother, who was in the Glynn County courtroom for the murder trial. "Wow," Cooper-Jones was heard saying, followed by, "I gotta get out of here," reports CNN, which notes that an "audible gasp" could be heard from others in the room when Hogue made her remark. "My son actually was running for his life in that description," Cooper-Jones said in a news conference later that day, per 11Alive, calling Hogue's comment "beyond rude."

Hogue—who appeared to have based her statement on the autopsy of Arbery's body, which stated that "the toenails are long and very dirty"—told the courtroom she expected that her description of Arbery would be "unpopular," per the Washington Post. CNN notes the defense for McMichael and the other two defendants, his son, Travis McMichael, and friend William "Roddie" Bryan, has continually tried to paint Arbery as a criminal throughout the trial.

https://www.newser.com/story/313703/defense-lawyer-in-arbery-trial-takes-heat-for-rude-remark.html

[lastlib]

1. Absolutely Despicable what they will stoop to.

Just...no words.

[rogue emissary]

2. Criminal, she was trying to paint him as an animal.

[House of Roberts]

3. Uh, he was jogging in open toed shoes?

This strains all credulity.

[greenjar_01]

5. The information is from the autopsy

The defense attorney is claiming that he wasn't jogging at all. The claim is that if he were jogging, he would be wearing athletics/running shorts rather than khakis, would be wearing socks, and would - if he was a consistent runner - have trimmed toenails. Adding "dirty" was for the racist effect.

[House of Roberts]

8. Aye, but all that is after the fact.

The killers could not judge him based on his toenails when they killed him unless his toenails were in view. I know wide latitude is given in closing arguments, but it's ludicrous to bring up if it couldn't have been a known factor during the crime. Even then it was not relevant.

[greenjar_01]

10. She's not claiming that the killers knew or didn't know

She's claiming that the prosecution and his family's argument that he was in the area jogging/running is false. So if he wasn't there running, then what was he doing, she's saying. And if you, the jurors, conclude that he wasn't there running, and these other keep telling you he was, what else don't you believe about their narrative?

That's how this whole part of the argument works. The argument isn't "The three defendants could tell from his khakis and no sox and toenails that he wasn't a runner." It's "He was not, in fact, a runner, so what was he doing there? And why do they keep saying he was?" (That said, there's a slight hint of "These three defendants made a reasonable and prudent assessment based on his dress and presentation that he wasn't actually just out here jogging."

She threw in the "dirty" because she's a racist and assumes at least one of the white jurors is, too.

[Submariner]

4. 'Her mother must be proud' is probably not snark

in this instance. Being part of the 74 Million Racist Republican Scum, her mother is probably high-fiving her. I hope restaurant owners and such, recognize her and toss her out. Filthy unprofessional trumpian pig.

[brewens]

6. Long as in just not trimmed recently? I'm not real great about that. I doubt they were Howard Hughes

long if the dude was a jogger. Dirty? That could mean anything. May have just been from the chase and murder.

[Cracklin Charlie]

7. I grew up in the south.

They’re not trying to make him look criminal…they are trying to portray him as a monster. Not human. Not a new tactic.

But still a disgusting tactic. Shame on them.

[bdamomma]

9. really disturbing

comments, even the defense trying to stop pastors from sitting with family. Using the race factor gets me sick.

[bigtree]

11. it took a lot to keep from characterizing her by the way she appeared to me

...as she said this.

Her appearance did make me suspicious about what she might be up to. Not compelling enough for me to keep following her, though.

[Captain Stern]

13. I think Laura Hogue's career isn't going to go the way she thought.

At least from this point on.

This is not going to go well for her at all.