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 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 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 within the nation illegally and invading the USA.

Blackwell was ready for a bus when he advised Villalaz that he had parked his truck illegally in a bus cease zone outside a restaurant, prosecutors said. The 2 could be seen on surveillance video, but not heard, and Blackwell could be seen retrieving an aluminum bottle from his satchel.

Villalaz moved his truck to a different 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 completely affected.

Blackwell mentioned he carried the drain cleaner for self-defense at evening as a result of he’s disabled, and had been attacked on the streets earlier than. He mentioned he was scared when Villalaz acquired so offended, and splashed the liquid simply 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 “return,” but didn’t wish to harm anybody.

Blackwell was taken into custody after the decision.