When the lawyers representing Ahmaud Arbery couldn’t find transportation to make it to a court hearing in Georgia on Thursday, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter lent his private jet to give the attorneys a lift.
Blerim Elmazi and S. Lee Merritt — the lawyers representing Arbery, who was fatally shot while jogging in February — said on Instagram that they “started losing hope” that they would be able to attend a scheduled hearing in Brunswick. That’s when Elmazi says that he and Merritt received a call at 1 a.m. from Roc Nation, Carter’s sporters and entertainment agency, who allowed them to use their private plane.
“At 1 am we started losing hope till we got a call from Jay Z’s people at Roc Nation who chartered a flight for us to attend this hearing with the family of Ahmaud Arbery,” Elmazi wrote in an Instagram post. “Thankful for their support.”
Merritt also shared the story on Instagram, writing, “When you absolutely have to be in Court to stand with your client and righteous protestors for justice… Jay Z sends his private jet.
As a result of the courtesy, the two lawyers made it to the hearing on time and were able to stand with Arbery’s family. During the hearing, it was revealed that Travis McMichael used a racial slur after firing three shots that killed Arbery shot on Feb. 23. At the end of the hearing, it was determined that he, his father Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan, who filmed the killing, will remain in police custody. All three have been charged with murder in the case.
Earlier this week, Carter and Team ROC, the philanthropic arm of Roc Nation, partnered with activists, attorneys, and the families who lost someone to police violence to dedicate a full-page ad in several newspapers Tuesday in honor of George Floyd. Floyd died last week after being detained and killed by Minneapolis police.
The hip-hop billionaire also called on Minneapolis Attorney General Keith Ellison to prosecute all of the officers involved in the killing of Floyd to the “fullest extent of the law,” reports Billboard. The rap superstar also spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in pursuit of justice for Floyd.
from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3eYws0B
