THE BEATING OF STEVEN UTASH

[HairOfTheDog]

Steven Utash, 54, in a coma after Detroit mob beating

A 16-year-old is facing charges of assault and ethnic intimidation in connection with a mob attack on a motorist who accidentally struck a child on Detroit's east side, reports CBS Detroit.

The teen is black and the driver, 54-year-old Steven Utash, of Clinton Township, is white.

So far, five suspects have been taken into custody in the beating of Utash, who remains in a medically induced coma with bleeding in several parts of his brain, according to the station. This is the first hate crime charge filed in the case. Prosecutors say the teen (unnamed) will remain in custody and appear at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Center on April 12.

Police have said Utash was driving home from his job as a tree-trimmer on April 2 when he struck a 10-year-old boy who stepped out into the roadway. When Utash got out of his truck to check on the boy, police say he was jumped by 10 to 12 people.

"You hit my nephew, you're going to die," one man said, according to a witness.


Deborah Hughes ^ , a retired nurse, said dozens of people stood around and watched as Utash was punched, kicked, and stomped on repeatedly. She's being hailed as a hero for stepping in to stop the attack. She grabbed a gun, went outside, and guarded him from the mob.

Police said Utash was not at fault in the accident and did the right thing by stopping to check on the child. The boy he hit was treated for a broken leg.

The investigation into the beating is ongoing.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said her office "can prove beyond a reasonable doubt the crimes of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and ethnic intimidation" against the 16-year-old.

"In the case of the four adult defendants that have been charged, the facts and the evidence do not support a charge of ethnic intimidation," Worthy said.


^ Wonzey Saffold, 30; James Davis, 24; Bruce Wimbush Jr., 17; and Latrez Cummings, 19 (not pictured), were arraigned this week for charges of assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm. They are being held in the county jail on $500,000 bonds pending preliminary examinations on April 21.

Refs:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hate-crime-c...-motorist/
http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/c...391120.php
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Hoping Utash pulls through and recovers, he's in terrible shape.

Not sure what evidence LE has to warrant "hate" crime charges in this case -- wonder if the black teen was screaming racial slurs while he beat on Utash.

Whatever the charges, I hope every person who took turns beating the shit outta Utash spends years behind bars; fuckers.

[Duchess]

Kudos to that woman for stepping in with her weapon. Fuckin' savages.

[ramseycat]

Yea lets beat up the driver and not take care of the kid that was injured. Or call 911 to get him help.

[Maggot]

Stupid white trash messin with the hood.

[ramseycat]

Just heard that Steven is awake from his coma and breathing on his own.

[Cheyne]

The ten year old boy who was hit (David Harris) was apparently playing "chicken" with other children when Utash hit him. I saw video from the gas station on a national news network showing children jumping into the road and this article states, 'It was determined that the driver of the vehicle wouldn't have had any chance of stopping,' a Detroit police spokesman told Mail Online earlier this week.

If I have the details correct; Steven Utash hit a child who was intentionally jumping into traffic, when Mr. Utash got out of his vehicle to check the child's condition, a mob attacked him for hitting the child. 5-10 young black men and teens attacked a 54 year old white man while he was trying to render aid to a kid who brought his injuries on himself. Of the 100 or so bystanders, not one thought to call 911 or try to stop the attack except Deborah Hughes.

And only one juvenile is charged with a hate crime?

[Duchess]

The only thing I'm taking away from this is if I hit someone/something in a black neighborhood, don't stop, keep right on driving to the police station.

[Carsman]

The only thing I'm taking away from this is if I hit someone/something in a black neighborhood, don't stop, keep right on driving to the police station.

A police station in a black neighborhood's hood?

[Duchess]

Wherever it's located or even just get the hell out of that 'hood and pull over & call 911.

[HairOfTheDog]

Four Detroit men accused of brutally beating 54-year-old Stephen Utash outside a gas station earlier this month are likely to stand trial after a judge found evidence sufficient to move the case forward.

Wonzey Saffold, 30; James Davis, 24; and Latrez Cummings, 19 each previously told investigators that they’d at least kicked Utash a couple times, according to their statements read in court Monday. They were handcuffed to each other for the preliminary hearing, where prosecutors presented evidence to move the case toward trial in Wayne County Circuit Court.

One witness at the Monday hearing was jailed on $500,000 bond after trying to avoid testifying. Anton Sykes, 30, denied a statement prosecutors said he previously gave to police, raising tensions and incurring frustration from 36^th District Court Judge Thomas Jackson.

Bruce Wimbush Jr., 17, the fourth codefendant, declined his right to the hearing, and his case was bound over as well.

Saffold's attorney argued that Saffold didn't intend to murder Utash, because if his client had a gun, he could have killed him but didn't.

An attorney for Davis, Jason Malcowicz, also took issue with the charges against his client.

"The statement from my client is that he kicked him once or twice - not enough to rise to the level of assault with intent to murder," Malcowicz said.

The judge disagreed. "Even one or two may not be enough to kill anyone, but in combination with another person, it can be enough to cause death," Jackson said.

Separately, a 16-year-old boy is charged in Juvenile Court with assault and ethnic intimidation in the case. He'll go to trial in juvenile court in June.

http://www.freep.com/article/20140421/NE...ver-attack
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/4-men-to-sta...-motorist/

[QueenBee]

What worries me is after the trials ( which I am sure will not be for a while, unless they take a plea). If any or all of them are found guilty (as well they should be) I am just wondering if there will be repercussions. Then again, probably not. It is not as if it was a gang of white kids beating a black guy near to death.

What I hate is the "its not my problem" attitude of people who did not call 911. I am sure people will ignore the fact that the kid was playing chicken.
I am just pissed about all of this

[sally]

Stupid niggers.

[HairOfTheDog]

UPDATE



Mob beating victim ^ Steven Utash (pictured with his daughters in mid May) has been released from the hospital. He's reportedly made a lot of progress in recovering memory and physical strength; he's still undergoing rehabilitation therapy.



Mob beating suspect ^ Bruce Wimbush (now 18) took a plea deal. His charges were lowered to assault with intent to do great bodily harm, which reduces his maximum penalty from life in prison down to 10 years in prison. Today, he pleaded guilty in Detroit court.

In exchange for the reduced charges and guilty plea, Wimbush has agreed to testify against the other three adult suspects (pictured below).


^They will be back in court on Thursday.

[Duchess]

I'm really happy that he choose to testify against them. Life in the slammer won't be easy for a snitch.

I hope I never understand why some people do the things they do to another human being. They are such pieces of shit.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

Prison is full of snitches, they are not rare at all.

[Duchess]

Ha! I didn't know that or maybe I've read too much Maytee.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

those guys rat fuck someone on a daily basis. its a way to win points, earn privileges, earn good time, payback favors...
The notion of "A Righteous Con" is bullshit. There are a few maybe, but the vast majority are dregs.

[Cutz]

But they probably lie about snitching too.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

of course they do

[Maggot]

Bring back chain gangs, fix the potholes bitches. They should be working for free not lifting weights. Whatever happened to hard labor?