Citizen's Arrest Law at Center of Trial of Arbery's Killers Originated in Slavery

by Alan J. Singer

The three men on trial for killing Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia are counting on a jury to accept their claim that they were executing a citizen's arrest on Arbery. Georgia's citizen's arrest law, since repealed, shares in the racist history of similar laws across the nation. 

Citizen's Arrest: How is This Still a Law? (video)

Hofstra professor (and HNN contributor) Alan J. Singer explains to Roy Wood, Jr. why "citizens arrest" is a legacy of the era of slavery and white supremacy.