As of mid-May, four district attorneys had worked on this case one after the other. Because Gregory McMichael had worked as a police officer and worked for the Brunswick district attorney's office, it was difficult to find a district attorney who could charge McMichael with a crime. In the United States, prosecutors are not allowed to prosecute people they know, only strangers. The first one, Jackie Johnson, recused herself, meaning she willingly left the case, because she had worked with Gregory McMichael. The second district attorney who tried to work on the case, George E. Barnhill recused himself after Arbery's mother found out Barnhill's son had worked with Gregory McMichael.