13
May
2020
The McMichaels did not see Arbery commit any crimes, making the probable cause defense for a citizen's arrest flimsy and suggesting a racial component in the case.
So the argument seems to be that because Arbery looked around a house under construction, the McMichaels had probable cause to do a citizen's arrest, but that doesn't really make sense. They didn't actually see him commit any crimes, so that would be a pretty flimsy defense here, I think. What could easily make sense, you know, as a curious person looking around while maybe in a cool-down on their jog becomes proof of criminality in this case, and it's hard not to think that a racial component has something to do with that.