The Georgia prosecutor accused of mishandling the Ahmaud Arbery case was voted out of office in Tuesday’s election.
Republican Jackie Johnson was ousted by Independent candidate Keith Higgins. The race was not close, with Higgins beating Johnson 69 percent to 31 percent, according to WJXT-TV.
No Democrat candidate qualified to run, meaning Johnson would’ve run unopposed. Higgins was able to get onto the ballot after obtaining more than 6,500 signatures.
Johnson was the original prosecutor in the Arbery case before recusing herself for having a history with one of the suspects, Gregory McMichael. McMichael had previously worked in the district attorney’s office.
A county commissioner has claimed that officers were hesitant to arrest McMichael’s after being told it wasn’t necessary by Johnson’s office, a claim she vehemently denies. She referred to the allegation as a “vicious lie.”
The case was then handed off to George Barnhill, who also declined to press charges. Barnhill was subsequently removed from the case over a conflict of interest. Both Johnson and Barnhill are now being investigated by federal authorities.
Arbery, 25, was fatally shot while jogging through a Georgia neighborhood by McMichael and his son Travis McMichael. The two were charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
One of the duo’s neighbors, William “Roddie” Bryan, recorded the incident on his cell phone. He was eventually charged with murder. All three are currently awaiting trial.
