BRUNSWICK, Ga. (WTOC) - On Wednesday, the judge in Jackie Johnson’s trial threw out the last remaining charge against her.

The charge accused Johnson of violating her oath of office.

On Monday, a judge granted the Defense’s motion for directed verdict of acquittal on the other charge against Johnson. That count charged her with obstructing or hindering law enforcement.

The judge spoke directly to Arbery’s family when making his ruling Wednesday.

He expressed his condolences to Arbery’s parents, saying it was a decision he didn’t want to make and referred to the time it took for the McMichael’s arrest.

“It’s nothing that compares to what the Arbery family must’ve gone through...Listening to this testimony here, I will never understand why those people were not arrested.”

This move closes another case tied to Ahmaud Arbery’s high profile killing in a Brunswick neighborhood nearly five years ago that sparked nationwide outcry and calls for justice.

Johnson is the former Brunswick district attorney accused of meddling in the Ahmaud Arbery murder investigation.

The former DA was accused of using her power as Brunswick’s top prosecutor to protect and favor two of the people convicted of murdering Arbery, Johnson’s former employee and his son, Greg and Travis McMichael.

Johnson’s lawyer Brian Steel criticized Georgia’s Attorney General’s office, which prosecuted this case.

“Ahmaud Arbery should be here right now with us. He should be enjoying his life,” said Steel. “It’s unthinkable that prosecutor — the Attorney General of the State of Georgia — would stain his memory by falsely accusing an innocent woman of trying to protect his killers.”

The Attorney General’s office who tried the case released a statement following the decision:

Nearly five years ago, Ahmaud Arbery was violently and senselessly killed in the streets of the Satilla Shores neighborhood. As I have said to his family and many others before: if that was my child, I would want to know that everyone was doing everything possible to ensure justice was served. That’s what we have fought for each day, and in September 2021, a Glynn County Grand Jury chose to indict former Brunswick DA Jackie Johnson. We stand by the case we presented, and we regret that the Jury won’t get to decide. We will continue to pray for and support Ahmaud’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, his father, Marcus Arbery, and all those who knew and loved him.

Outside the courthouse Arbery’s father said he still believes Johnson protected the McMichaels.

“It’s just bad, our elected officials that hold that power don’t be accountable for what they do wrong,” said Marcus Arbery.

Arbery’s mother said her fight for justice will continue.

“What happened this morning was not because she wasn’t guilty, it was because of just, case law,” said Wanda Cooper-Jones. “We still run with Ahmaud...I will be the voice of Ahmaud Arbery until I leave this Earth.”

Johnson, now acquitted, has denied any wrongdoing and did not make any comment after Wednesday’s ruling.

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