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 assault in 2019.

Clifton Blackwell, 64, was found responsible Thursday of first-degree reckless injury, with a harmful weapon, as a hate crime. He faces as much as 20 years in prison at his sentencing May 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 country illegally and invading the US.

Blackwell was waiting for a bus when he informed Villalaz that he had parked his truck illegally in a bus stop zone outdoors a restaurant, prosecutors said. The two could possibly be seen on surveillance video, however 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 2 argued once more 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 mentioned he carried the drain cleaner for self-defense at evening because he’s disabled, and had been attacked on the streets before. He mentioned he was scared when Villalaz got 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 nation and should “go back,” however didn’t wish to hurt anybody.

Blackwell was taken into custody after the verdict.