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 discovered responsible Thursday of first-degree reckless damage, with a dangerous weapon, as a hate crime. He faces as much as 20 years in jail at his sentencing Might 18.

The jury rejected Blackwell’s argument that he acted in self-defense after arguing with Mahud Villalaz over avenue parking in November 2019 in Milwaukee. He accused Villalaz, who suffered second-degree burns, of being in the nation illegally and invading america.

Blackwell was waiting for a bus when he instructed Villalaz that he had parked his truck illegally in a bus cease zone outside a restaurant, prosecutors mentioned. The 2 might 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 another parking spot and headed back toward the restaurant. The 2 argued again 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 permanently affected.

Blackwell mentioned 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 mentioned he was scared when Villalaz obtained so angry, and splashed the liquid simply as Villalaz made a fist and seemed 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 should “go back,” but didn’t wish to harm anyone.

Blackwell was taken into custody after the decision.