Wanda Cooper-Jones, the mother of Ahmaud Arbery called out a defense attorney for making "beyond rude" remarks about her late son's toenails.
In court on Monday (November 22), Laure Hogue, attorney for Gregory McMichael –– one of the three men on trial for killing Ahmaud in February 2020 –– said the 25-year-old wasn't a victim and caused his own demise.
"Turning Ahmaud Arbery into a victim after the choices 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 said in her closing arguments.
Cooper-Jones walked out of the courtroom after the comments she called "disturbing," because Hogue's argument, "totally neglect that my son had a huge hole in his chest when he was shot with a shotgun," she told CNN.
After Hogue's remarks, Ahmaud's parents gave a press conference and described the impact of Hogue's words.
"She described Ahmaud as his long legs and his dirty long toenails, that was just beyond rude," Cooper-Jones said. "Regardless of what kind of toenails he had, what size legs he had, that was still my son, and my son was actually running for his life in that description. I thought that was just flat out just rude."
Ahmaud's father, Marcus Arbery Sr., also spoke out against Hogue's remarks. "It's just wrong," he said. "So, the way that they tried to characterize his name...it is just really hurting to his mom and me."
"They got no defense ground, so she trying anything," he added. "They desperate, so we already know that. So, all we want is justice. Justice for Ahmaud."
On Tuesday (November 23) state prosecutor Linda Dunikoski delivered a final rebuttal in the trial against McMichael, his son, Travis McMichael and William Bryan.
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