These "men" are also grounding their defense strategy in Georgia's now-defunct "citizen's arrest" statute. Although it was repealed earlier this year, it was in effect at the time of this crime.

Citizen's arrest laws nationwide, like so many others, are based in the "Slave Codes" and then later in "Black Codes." I explore this here: https://medium.com/the-polis/ahmaud-arberys-killers-to-use-slavery-based-citizen-s-arrest-defense-26310f551d7a

Thanks for yet another thoughtful, informative essay.