In a eerie coincidence between the Trayvon Martin case and a beating that occurred in 2010 – two white Jewish men on a neighborhood watch verses a black teenager in, what they claim, was an action of self-defense – has caused their attorney to seek a postponement and change of venue, as reported by several media outlets including CBS News in Baltimore.
The two brothers, E.W., now aged 24, and A.W., now 21, are charged with the November 2010 beating of a 15 year-old boy in Baltimore.
According to court records, the two men pulled their car up to the teen in another vehicle, then exited their car and surrounded him. After tossing the boy from his car to the ground, the two brothers allegedly beat him over the head with a handheld radio. The boy, not sure which brother was speaking, heard, "You wanna (mess) with us, you don't belong around here, get outta here!"
A third man then kneed the boy and pinned him to the ground as he struggled to get away. The third man conducted a search of the boy, and the boy responded by laying still and insisting that he didn't have anything on him.
According to court records, the trio left the boy on the street who then called the police and was transported to a hospital. He was treated for a laceration on the back of his head and a broken wrist.
Searching an investigator's photo book, the boy was able to identify E.W., and he was arrested 10 days later for assault. A.W. was charged as well, two months afterwards.
E.W. and A.W. have claimed that they acted out of self-defense alone. They alleged that the boy was carrying a board studded with nails.
The brothers are facing at 13-year sentence if convicted on all three counts charged against them: one for second-degree assault, one for false imprisonment and one for carrying a deadly weapon.
The hand-held radio that the brothers allegedly used is considered a deadly weapon.
Prior to the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, the brother's case received little press attention.
Another similarity between the cases was a public protest – due to the already growing number of postponements – that was organized by the president of the local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, C.D.W.
C.D.W. said, "We feel that justice should have been served long ago. I would contend that the urgency for justice (in this case) is affected by the Trayvon Martin case because of the similarities."
Attorney Steven Levin, a former federal prosecutor, commented, "It's unusual to have a trial in which the allegations mirror a case so prominent in the news. Since the Trayvon Martin case, people cannot help but think about that case and draw comparisons, whether they are fair or not."
Want to obtain the best lawyer for your defense? Click here for our comprehensive directory and contact a criminal defense lawyer today!
