Man convicted in racist 2019 acid assault in Milwaukee
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MILWAUKEE (AP) — A jury has convicted a white Milwaukee man who was accused of throwing acid on a Latino man’s face throughout a racist attack in 2019.
Clifton Blackwell, 64, was discovered guilty Thursday of first-degree reckless injury, with a harmful weapon, as a hate crime. He faces up to 20 years in jail at his sentencing May 18.
The jury rejected Blackwell’s argument that he acted in self-defense after arguing with Mahud Villalaz over street parking in November 2019 in Milwaukee. He accused Villalaz, who suffered second-degree burns, of being in the country illegally and invading america.
Blackwell was waiting for a bus when he informed Villalaz that he had parked his truck illegally in a bus cease zone outdoors a restaurant, prosecutors mentioned. The 2 could possibly be seen on surveillance video, however not heard, and Blackwell could possibly be seen retrieving an aluminum bottle from his satchel.
Villalaz moved his truck to a different parking spot and headed again toward the restaurant. The 2 argued once more and Blackwell splashed the contents of the bottle, which was acidic drain cleaner, in Villalaz’s face.
Villalaz, 43, testified during the trial that his imaginative and prescient in his left eye has been completely affected.
Blackwell mentioned he carried the drain cleaner for self-defense at night time as a result of he’s disabled, and had been attacked on the streets before. He stated he was scared when Villalaz got so angry, and splashed the liquid simply as Villalaz made a fist and gave the impression to be about to strike him, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Villalaz is a U.S. citizen who immigrated from Peru. He testified he was indignant at Blackwell for telling him he “invaded” his nation and should “go back,” but didn’t wish to hurt anybody.
Blackwell was taken into custody after the decision.