Man convicted in racist 2019 acid attack 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 guilty Thursday of first-degree reckless damage, with a dangerous 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 road parking in November 2019 in Milwaukee. He accused Villalaz, who suffered second-degree burns, of being within the nation illegally and invading the USA.

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 mentioned. The 2 could be seen on surveillance video, but not heard, and Blackwell may very well be seen retrieving an aluminum bottle from his satchel.

Villalaz moved his truck to a different parking spot and headed back towards the restaurant. The two argued again and Blackwell splashed the contents of the bottle, which was acidic drain cleaner, in Villalaz’s face.

Villalaz, 43, testified in the course of the trial that his imaginative and prescient in his left eye has been permanently affected.

Blackwell stated he carried the drain cleaner for self-defense at night time because he’s disabled, and had been attacked on the streets earlier than. He mentioned he was scared when Villalaz got so indignant, and splashed the liquid just 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 offended at Blackwell for telling him he “invaded” his country and will “go back,” however didn’t want to damage anybody.

Blackwell was taken into custody after the decision.