Rich McKay, Jonathan Allen

(Reuters). A Georgia judge is set to decide whether Travis McMichael, a Black man who died from the shotgun blasts of McMichael, can speak before a jury.

Travis McMichael testified in his own defense starting Wednesday. This allowed him to take the stand even though he was open for questioning by the prosecutors about evidence that he harbored “racial animus against Black people”.

Travis McMichael (35) and his father Greg McMichael (56) are both charged with the murder of Arbery (NYSE:) in their predominantly white neighborhood, just outside Brunswick.

According to the McMichaels, they pursued Arbery with a pickup truck as they believed he was a burglar. Bryan then joined them in pursuit after passing by his driveway.

According to defense lawyers, the men tried to end Arbery by using a Georgia citizen’s arrest law. The younger McMichael killed him in self-defense. Bryan and the McMichaels could spend life behind bars if they are convicted.

Bryan captured the shooting on his cellphone, which was widely viewed online around two months following Arbery’s death. This caused quite a stir and eventually led to the filing of charges.

Travis McMichael claimed that Arbery had tried to seize his gun as he was near tears while he testified on Wednesday.

He was shot by me. Travis McMichael stated that he had his gun. It was life-or-death.

A special agent from the Georgia Brueau of Investigations (GBI), stated that Bryan, a co-defendant in the case, said in an interview that Travis McMichael made a racial slur while Arbery was dying.

Jason Sheffield, Travis McMichael’s attorney asked the court not to inquire about the reported slur by prosecutors unless the prosecutors could provide a reason in “good faith” why they were relevant. Judge Timothy Walmsley stated that he would review the matter before Travis McMichael was scheduled for another day of testimony.