Man convicted in racist 2019 acid assault in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A jury has convicted a white Milwaukee man who was accused of throwing acid on a Latino man’s face during a racist attack in 2019.

Clifton Blackwell, 64, was found responsible 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 Could 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 nation illegally and invading the US.

Blackwell was waiting for a bus when he instructed Villalaz that he had parked his truck illegally in a bus cease zone exterior a restaurant, prosecutors said. The two may very well be seen on surveillance video, but 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 towards 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 throughout the trial that his imaginative and prescient in his left eye has been permanently affected.

Blackwell said he carried the drain cleaner for self-defense at night as a result of he’s disabled, and had been attacked on the streets before. He said he was scared when Villalaz received so indignant, and splashed the liquid just as Villalaz made a fist and appeared 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,” however didn’t want to damage anyone.

Blackwell was taken into custody after the verdict.