Defense attorney Kevin Gough continued taking aim at Black pastors, asking the judge in the trial for Ahmaud Arbery’s accused killers to have Rev. Jesse Jackson removed from the courtroom Monday.  

According to NBC News, before the jury entered the room, Gough said, “He is, your honor, I think we all know, an icon in the civil rights movement.” The attorney also added that Jackson is “not just a witness to it, but the personification of it.”  

RELATED: Attorney Wants No More ‘Black Pastors’ At Trial For Arbery’s Accused Killers  

Jackson was sitting in the courtroom with Arbery’s family when Gough made his statements to Judge Timothy Walmsley. “And in other circumstances, I think everybody would be happy to have their picture taken, maybe get an autograph, but in the context of this trial, we object to his presence in the public gallery inside the courtroom,” Gough continued.  

Last week, Gough requested no more “Black pastors” come sit with the Arbery family in court. After being accused of being racist, the defense attorney apologized but said he planned to put the request in a formal motion. “The issue that I brought up previously is how many pastors does the Arbery family have?” he said. “We had the Rev. Al Sharpton here earlier, last week.”  

Gough believes Jackson’s presence could have an impact on the jury and the trial proceedings, adding that the seats of a courtroom “are not like courtside seats to a Lakers game.”  

RELATED: Black Pastors Heading to Brunswick to Support Family of Ahmaud Arbery  

Walmsley denied Gough’s request to remove Jackson saying the court’s position on the issue has not changed, NBC News reported. “With all candor, I was not even aware the Rev. Jackson was in the courtroom until you started your motion,” Walmsley said. “At this point, it’s almost as if you’re trying to continue this for purposes other than just bringing it to the court’s attention.”  

In addition to his comments, Gough also called for a mistrial. Walmsley said the presence of Black pastors is “directly in response” to the comments Gough made last week. Black pastors from across the country said they would travel to Brunswick, Georgia, to support the Arbery family in court.  

Race is central to the case where Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. are accused of chasing 25-year-old Arbery and shooting him. The lawyers for the three white men allege their clients attempted to make a citizen’s arrest because they suspected Arbery was doing something illegal.  

The men face several charges, including malice, felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. If convicted, each could face life in prison.   

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