udge Timothy Walmsley dismissed the defense attorney’s concern that Rev. Sharpton was “intimidating” the jury.
RELATED: Judge reprimands attorney during trial for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery https://youtu.be/g6_p64-NQoM

A tense discussion broke out Thursday during the murder trial of three white men charged in Ahmaud Arbery’s killing when a defense attorney said the presence of “high-profile members of the African American community” may pressure or intimidate the jury.

Defense attorney Kevin Gough, who represents William “Roddie” Bryan, took issue with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s presence in the courtroom the day before.

“If we’re going to start a precedent, starting yesterday, where we’re going to bring high-profile members of the African American community into the courtroom to sit with the family during the trial in the presence of the jury, I believe that’s intimidating and it’s an attempt to pressure … or influence the jury,” Gough said.

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