Yellow police tape.Photo:Getty
Getty
On Aug. 31, the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts announced in apress releasethat the juvenile suspect, who is White, was indicted on charges of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. He is not being charged as an adult.
The charges stem from a July 19 incident in Chatham, Mass., authorities said. Two White teens met up with a Black child at Goose Pond, where the suspect allegedly “picked up a stone, threatened the victim with it” and called him the N-word, according to the press release.
According to the D.A.’s office, the victim put on a life jacket and told the two teens he couldn’t swim. All three then entered the water, but once there, the suspect allegedly grabbed the Black child’s life jacket and shoved him underwater four to five times.
Prosecutors allege the other White teen laughed at the victim during the attempted drowning and referred to him as “George Floyd,” per the release.
Investigators said the attack continued as the suspect allegedly swam underneath the Black child and tried to grab his feet to pull him further into the water.
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The suspect, who is being tried as a “youthful offender,” is being held without bail. He is expected back in court on Sept. 13 for a pre-trial conference.
While it’s unclear if he has entered a plea, the alleged attacker’s lawyer, Kevin Reddington, told theBoston Globelast week that his client is innocent, and that the incident was “horseplaying” that got “out of control.” He has reportedly filed an appeal.
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source: people.com
