ATLANTA -- The mother of a Black man pursued and killed by white men who said they suspected him of a crime says she is “thankful, very thankful” that Georgia has repealed its Civil War-era citizen's arrest law. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 479, which says bystanders can no longer make an arrest in Georgia if a crime is committed in their presence. “This bill makes Georgia the first state in the country to repeal its citizen's arrest statue,” Kemp, a Republican, said before signing the measure. A prosecutor initially assigned to the case had cited Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law to argue that the shooting was justified. Issues surrounding citizen’s arrest could be aired in pretrial hearings in coming days.

Source: ABC News May 10, 2021 14:15 UTC