BRUNSWICK, Ga. — During closing arguments Monday in the murder trial for the three white men involved in fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery, the prosecution argued that none of the suspects had cause to make a citizen's arrest when they saw him in their neighborhood.

Linda Dunikoski told jurors in her closing arguments Monday that the three defendants decided to pursue Arbery "because he was a Black man running down their street."

The closing arguments come after both the prosecution and defense concluded arguments to the jury last week. Reports also emerged last week that a lawyer for one of the men on trial sought a plea deal before the defense rested its case.

According to prosecutors, Arbery was jogging in Brunswick on Feb. 23, 2020, when he briefly stopped inside a home under construction.

When the McMichaels saw Arbery in the area, they armed themselves and chased after him in a pickup truck because they believed him to be responsible for a series of break-ins in the neighborhood.

Video from the incident showed the McMichaels drive up beside Arbery. A struggle followed for a few moments before Travis McMichael fired his gun, and Arbery stumbled to the ground.

Defense attorneys insist the three men committed no crimes and that Travis McMichael only fired his weapon after a "violent encounter" with Arbery. The defense has also argued that the men were empowered to take Arbery into custody thanks to a since-repealed citizen's arrest law that was in effect at the time of the shooting.

Prosecutors would not file charges in connection with the shooting for nearly three months and only after the video of the shooting became public.

Between the shooting and the video's release, the case passed between several judicial circuits and district attorneys. Some of them worked with Greg McMichael during his time working as a police officer and investigator.

One ex-prosecutor, Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson, has been indicted for misconduct related to her work on the case.

The McMichaels were arrested and charged with murder on May 7, 2020. Bryan was arrested two weeks later.

The defense rested its case Thursday in the trial of Ahmaud Arbery's killing.

The jury was dismissed and will return for closing arguments on Monday.

On Thursday, the man who fatally shot Arbery testified that Arbery did not speak, show a weapon or threaten him in any way before he raised his shotgun and pointed it at the 25-year-old Black man.

Travis McMichael said he was “under the impression” that Arbery could be a threat because he was running straight at him and he had seen Arbery trying to get into a neighbor's truck.

McMichael is one of three white men on trial for murder.

He and his father and a neighbor chased down Arbery after seeing him running through their neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2020.

Arbery's family says he was out for a jog prior to the shooting.

"He didn't have any facts on hand when he chose to pull the trigger. Not one time but three times," said Wanda Cooper-Jones, Ahmaud Arbery's mother.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A police officer says he would have given Ahmaud Arbery a warning for trespassing inside the unfinished home from which the young Black man was seen running before he was chased and fatally shot.

Glynn County police Officer Robert Rash testified Friday he had been looking for Arbery, whose identity wasn't known until he was killed, after the owner of the home under construction shared security camera videos of him inside the home.

Rash said none of the videos showed Arbery stealing.

Greg and Travis McMichael and a neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan, are being tried on murder charges in Arbery's death.

Defense attorneys say they suspected Arbery was a burglar and Travis McMichael shot him in self-defense.

Bryan's defense attorney started the day with an apology. On Thursday, he objected to Rev. Al Sharpton attending the trial to support the victim's family.

"We don’t want any more Black pastors coming in here or Jesse Jackson, or whoever was in here earlier this week, sitting with the victim’s family trying to influence a jury in this case," defense attorney Kevin Gough said.

Gough told the court Friday that his statements were too broad.

"I will follow up with a more specific motion on Monday, putting those concerns in the proper context. And my apologies to anyone who may have been inadvertently offended," he said.

Opening statements will take place Friday in the trial of three white men in Brunswick, Georgia, who are charged with chasing and fatally shooting Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man.

The death in February 2020 was recorded on video and caused a national outcry.

Jurors are to be sworn in Friday for the trial of father and son Greg and Travis McMichael and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, who have been charged with murder and other crimes.

Jury selection concluded Wednesday when the judge declined to override decisions on the final makeup of the jury. The 12-person panel consists of 11 white jurors and one Black juror.

While the prosecution objected and Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley agreed there appeared to be "intentional discrimination," he said he was limited by Georgia law because defense attorneys stated non-racial reasons for excluding Black panelists from the jury, The Associated Press reports.

According to prosecutors, Arbery was jogging in Brunswick on the day of the shooting when he briefly stopped inside a home under construction.

When the McMichaels saw Arbery in the area, they armed themselves and chased after him in a pickup truck because they believed him to be responsible for a series of break-ins in the neighborhood.

Video from the incident showed the McMichaels drive up beside Arbery. A struggle followed for a few moments before Travis McMichael fired his gun, and Arbery stumbled to the ground.

Defense attorneys insist the three men committed no crimes and that Travis McMichael only fired his weapon after a "violent encounter" with Arbery.

Prosecutors would not file charges in connection with the shooting for nearly three months and only after the video of the shooting became public.

Between the shooting and the video's release, the case passed between several judicial circuits and district attorneys. Some of them worked with Greg McMichael during his time working as a police officer and investigator.

One ex-prosecutor, Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Jackie Johnson, has been indicted for misconduct related to her work on the case.

The McMichaels were arrested and charged with murder on May 7, 2020. Bryan was arrested two weeks later.