By Rich McKay

Atlanta (Reuters) – Jury selection started Monday at the U.S. Federal Hate-crimes Trial of Ahmaud Abery’s three white accomplices in his murder. Ahmaud, a Black jogger was shot and chased through a predominantly-white neighborhood in Georgia.

Jurors will have to determine if racial animus was what drove defendants to murder Arbery at Satilla Shores in Georgia’s coastal Georgia neighborhood, February 2020. Gregory McMichael 66; Travis McMichael 36; and William “Roddie Bryan 52 were both convicted of the murders in an earlier state court.

After a November jury consisting of 11 women and one Black man rejected McMichaels self-defense claim, a judge in the state court sentenced them to life imprisonment.

The federal trial’s jury selection, according to the U.S. District Court Brunswick (NYSE:), could take up to two weeks. This comes after Travis McMichael and Gregory offered to plead guilty in accordance with the prosecutors.

The publicity surrounding the murder trial and earlier trials will make it difficult to select a jury, according Julie Campanini (jury consultant at Magna Legal Services, Philadelphia).

She stated that potential jurors could have strong opinions. They are not disqualified, however. It is up to them whether they are able to ignore that and decide on the facts presented.

McMichaels was almost spared a federal trial after they agreed to a plea bargain with prosecutors.

Travis McMichael, who was present at a hearing last Wednesday, said that he would admit to helping Arbery to be apprehended because of “race and colour” in the plea agreement.

After U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood rejected the agreement, he decided to change his mind. He refused to accept the agreement because it obligated her to a set sentence of 30 years imprisonment in federal prison, before being returned to Georgia for the remainder of his murder sentence.

Gregory McMichael had entered into a similar agreement with prosecutors. However, he also withdrew.

Marcus Arbery, Arbery’s father said that the family wants to see the case proceed to trial. He said that the family wanted to witness a trial and see what these men did.

Federal court has charged the men with using threats to infringe on Arbery’s rights based upon race. This is a hate crime. Maximum life in prison is the maximum sentence for this charge.

Additionally, the three were charged with attempted kidnapping. McMichaels are facing gun charges.

In court, Judge Wood stated that she will call 50 jurors per day from the 43 counties of south Georgia until there is a jury with 12 jurors, and 4 alternates.

Campanini stated that it would be difficult for the court to contact 50 people each day because there are three sets defense and prosecution attorneys. All of them could interview every potential juror.

She said, “They will seat a jury but don’t expect it to be quick.” It’ll take quite a while.”