Latest news with #MontianezMerriweather
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Family of Cincinnati brawler makes shocking race allegations as suspect faces new charges over viral beatdown
The family of one of the Cincinnati brawlers claimed the only reason the fight has garnered so much attention and criminal charges was because the person punched in the face is a white woman. The violent video showing the massive brawl in the streets of Cincinnati, Ohio, went viral this week. Two men and a woman were charged over their involvement as horror images emerged of a female victim with black eyes and a swollen, bruised face. One of the suspects, 39-year-old Jermaine Matthews, was initially charged with aggravated riot and assault, but was slapped with three more charges on Thursday, two felonious assault charges and one assault charge. Outside of court on Thursday, two relatives of fellow suspect, 34-year-old Montianez Merriweather, told WLWT that the race of the suspects and victims had catapulted the case to national attention. 'If it was an African American woman who got knocked out... We wouldn't have been going through all this,' one of the women said. Another woman, believed to be Merriweather's mother Clarissa, said her son is an honor roll student with 'a biracial child' as she denied he was racist. 'He's not a racist,' she said. 'It wasn't like they're thugs... these Russians was walking down the street and on the video he said ''you wanna mess with these Russians?''.' 'He smacked the first guy... my child is in school, he has five kids, he's on the B honor roll in school.' Police have described Merriweather as the 'catalyst' for the alleged 'coordinated attack.' Dekyra Vernon, 24, has also been charged. Matthews' attorney Brandon Fox also indicated there were other racial elements at play during the brawl. 'That is the victim that is seen running down the street screaming racial slurs, the n word,' he said, referring to video of the incident. In shocking footage of the fight, a man in a white t-shirt was shoved to the ground and beaten by two men as other members of the crowd jeered and joined in. The gang beat the man for nearly a minute as he lay in the middle of the street, seemingly stepping on his head multiple times. When the barrage of attacks temporarily stopped, he was seen attempting to stand - but immediately fell over in apparent disorientation. One attacker yelled out 'my man's drunk'. A woman in a black dress rushed to his aid, but was attacked by the crowd, suffering two blows to the face. The impact caused her to fall, with her head slamming onto the pavement. Blood spewed from her mouth. Disturbing new images emerged on Thursday showing the severe injuries that woman sustained in the attack. Republican state Senator Bernie Moreno said in a post on X that the woman, known publicly only as Holly, had given him permission to share the damning pictures of her injuries. Both sides of her face were extremely bruised following the assault, with her right eye a dark shade of purple and almost closed over due to the swelling. Her bottom lip was also cut open slightly, with dark bruises seen around her neck and upper torso. Moreno said: 'This is Holly. She wanted to have a nice evening out with friends. Instead, she got this. Holly gave me permission to release the photos so that others will never suffer what she did. We need and deserve change.' The woman, known only as Holly, is seen here on the ground following the horrific attack Search warrants have been issued for two other unidentified people accused of jumping into the shocking melee. Cincinnati Chief of Police Teresa Theetge said during a press conference on Monday that around 100 people descended on the brawl, but only one called 911. 'That is unacceptable to not call the police,' she said. 'Traffic was horrendous. People saw this. They were fighting in front of traffic. Why didn't people call us?' Theetge added in her press conference that anyone involved in the fight should turn themselves in, and warned that more charges may follow. 'Anyone who put their hands on another individual during this incident in an attempt to cause harm will face consequences,' she said. 'I don't care which side of the incident or the fight they were on.' Vice President JD Vance waded in on the clip captured in his home state on Monday, saying anybody involved should be thrown in prison. He said: 'I don't know the full context, but the one part that I saw that was really gruesome is you had a grown man who sucker punched a middle-age woman. 'That person ought to go to jail for a very long time - and frankly, he's lucky there weren't some better people around because they would've handled it themselves. 'We have got to make great American cities safe again for families and children, the only way to destroy that street violence is to take the thugs who engage in that violence and throw their asses in prison.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Cincinnati brawl arrests: Detective says fight was 'coordinated' by 2 suspects
Two men charged in a downtown Cincinnati fight that was caught on viral video are accused of coordinating the assault, according to prosecutors. Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Jermaine Matthews, 39, are facing charges in Hamilton County Municipal Court, including felonious assault and aggravated riot. Merriweather was out on bond when police said he was involved in the early morning brawl on July 26 in downtown Cincinnati. He received a $500,000 bond during a July 30 arraignment in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Matthews was given a $100,000 bond, although a judge is expected to set an additional bond on July 31. 'Extreme behavior, extreme violence' Cincinnati police Detective Barney Blank said video of the incident shows Merriweather walking up to Matthews, whispering something to him and approaching one of the victims from behind before striking him in the face. Merriweather and Matthews then chased the victim, who was trying to retreat, to the ground before punching and kicking him, Blank said. The detective added that Merriweather went after another man. "We believe that he coordinated this with Mr. Matthews," Blank said. Blank added that Matthews was seen on video knocking the victim to the ground and kicking him several times in the face and chest, before going after another victim. "This is extreme behavior, extreme violence," said Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor David Hickenlooper. Attorney argues social media video 'is not all of the evidence' However, Merriweather's and Matthews' attorneys said they were not the aggressors. "What was released on social media is not all of the evidence," said Brandon Fox, Matthews' attorney. "It's been described by the vice president of the United States as a 'mob' attack, and that just simply isn't what occurred." Fox said Matthews was standing on a street corner for his business when a fight broke out on the sidewalk. The attorney added that Matthews tried to break up the fight and when he returned, a man was kicking his business vehicle. When Matthews went to confront the man, he was slapped in the face, Fox said. The detective said police are looking into the victim first striking Matthews. Blank added that before the slap, Matthews could be seen on video squaring up with another individual. While Merriweather was arrested by the Cincinnati Police Department's fugitive apprehension unit, Matthews turned himself in, Fox added. Merriweather was indicted on four felony charges on July 10 after investigators said he was found to have a stolen firearm. Court records show he is charged with carrying concealed weapons, receiving stolen property, improper handling of firearms in a vehicle and weapons under disability. The last charge is due to a prior felony conviction in 2009 for aggravated robbery, the documents state. In the weapons case, Merriweather was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond. Prosecutors said that Merriweather previously served seven years in prison following the robbery conviction that happened when he was 17 years old. Matthews has three prior felony convictions for drug offenses, prosecutors said. Detective: Woman charged in viral brawl 'interjected herself' into skirmish Dekyra Vernon, 24, is also charged with felonious assault, assault and aggravated riot. Vernon is accused of inflicting "serious physical harm" to a woman by striking her in the face during the fight, before the woman lost consciousness, according to court documents. Her bond was set at $200,000. Blank said that Vernon was a bystander watching the brawl when she approached and punched a Russian woman trying to protect someone on the ground. He said the woman returned to Russia over the weekend. The detective said Vernon was not involved in any of the arguments that preceded the fight. "She just interjected herself into a brawl on the street," Blank said. 'Both parties could have walked away' Desiray Merriweather, Montianez Merriweather's cousin, talked with reporters outside the courtroom after the July 30 hearing. She said that while she feels for the victims, including the woman who was knocked unconscious, she questions whether there would've been such a strong nationwide response if the victims had been Black. "What if it was an African American who was the one who got knocked out? Would we be down here today? Would we be going through this stuff?" she said. "I don't feel like we would." Montianez Merriweather's family said he was spat on and called racial slurs in the lead-up to the brawl. His cousin said people were out early in the morning partying during the weekend of the Cincinnati Music Festival, which in the past has been the largest annual weekend driver of tourism in the area. "Both parties could have walked away," she said. "It's terrible how the world is nowadays." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati brawl arrest: Police detail what occurred at viral fight
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Three arrested over Cincinnati mass brawl that sparked widespread fury...and one of them was out on bond at the time
Cincinnati cops have arrested three people in connection with a savage mass brawl that left two injured over the weekend. Jermaine Matthews, 39, Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, were taken into custody this week after a couple were violently set upon in the downtown area of the Ohio city on Saturday. Search warrants have also been issued for two other unidentified people accused of jumping into the shocking melee. Footage of the altercation swept social media as the couple were seen being beaten on the street near the LoVe nightclub as a crowd gathered. Cincinnati Chief of Police Teresa Theetge said during a press conference on Monday that around 100 people descended on the brawl, but only one called 911. 'That is unacceptable to not call the police,' she said. 'Traffic was horrendous. People saw this. They were fighting in front of traffic. Why didn't people call us?' Matthews was charged with aggravated riot and assault, however charges against the other individuals are not immediately clear. Daily Mail has contacted Cincinnati Police Department for more information on the charges, with Theetge adding that other arrests may come as cops continue investigating the clash. Theetge added in her press conference that anyone involved in the fight should turn themselves in, and warned that more charges may follow. 'Anyone who put their hands on another individual during this incident in an attempt to cause harm will face consequences,' she said. 'I don't care which side of the incident or the fight they were on.' In shocking footage of the fight, a man in a white t-shirt was shoved to the ground and beaten by two men as other members of the crowd jeered and joined in. The gang beat the man for nearly a minute as he lay in the middle of the street, with the attackers appearing to step on his head multiple times. When the barrage temporarily stopped, the man was seen attempting to stand - but immediately fell over in apparent disorientation. One attacker yelled out 'my man's drunk'. A woman in a black dress rushed to his aid, but was attacked by the crowd, suffering two blows to the face. The impact caused her to fall, with her head slamming onto the pavement. Blood spewed from her mouth. The footage quickly gained traction among conservatives on social media, with a number of leading Republicans condemning the violence this week. The couple that were seen being attacked by the mob have not been named, although Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had identified the woman in the clip as 'Holly.' He said on social media: 'I spoke to Holly earlier today (the woman tragically assaulted in Cincinnati this weekend). 'She's a single working mom who went to a friend's birthday party. It's unconscionable that there were no police present in that area of Cincinnati on a Friday night, or even an ambulance to take her to the hospital.' Vice President JD Vance waded in on the clip captured in his home state on Monday, saying anybody involved should be thrown in prison. He said: 'I don't know the full context, but the one part that I saw that was really gruesome is you had a grown man who sucker punched a middle-age woman. 'That person ought to go to jail for a very long time - and frankly, he's lucky there weren't some better people around because they would've handled it themselves. 'We have got to make great American cities safe again for families and children, the only way to destroy that street violence is to take the thugs who engage in that violence and throw their asses in prison.' Elon Musk also took to his social media to question what he suggested was a lack of response to the incident. 'Why zero stories?' the Tesla CEO asked Sunday, retweeting a post from the End Wokeness X account alleging that the attack wasn't being covered by news outlets. End Wokeness posted a tweet early Sunday afternoon claiming CNN, ABC, NBC, Fox News, The New York Times and The Washington Post, among others, had failed to cover the attack. By late Sunday evening the terrifying assault had been covered by several local and national media outlets, including the Daily Mail and Fox News.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested after Cincinnati fight videos went viral was out on bond. What we know
Check here for the latest news on the arrests in the fight. A man and a woman were arrested July 29 in connection with the weekend brawl in downtown Cincinnati. Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, have been arrested on felonious assault and aggravated riot charges, according to Cincinnati police. Police had identified five suspects from a violent fight with a crowd of "100 or so people," at Fourth and Elm streets early Saturday, July 26. Multiple videos of the 3 a.m. fight Downtown circulated on social media over the weekend, raising concerns about safety amid the city's recent push to reduce crime in its urban core. More: Downtown Cincinnati restaurant owners call for 'real plan' to address crime, violence Merriweather was indicted on four felony charges on July 10 after investigators said he was found to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Court records show he is charged with carrying concealed weapons, receiving stolen property, improper handling of firearms in a vehicle and weapons under disability. The last charge is due to a prior felony conviction in 2009 for aggravated robbery, the documents state. In the weapons case, Merriweather was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond. "He never should have been out," said Ken Kober, Cincinnati police union president. The Enquirer has reached out to the attorney who represented Merriweather in the previous case for comment. Hamilton County court records show Vernon has no prior criminal convictions in the county. The Enquirer will update this breaking news report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati brawl suspects: What we know about arrests in viral fight
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
What we know about arrests, victims in Cincinnati attack that drew national attention
A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the early July 26 brawl in downtown Cincinnati that drew national attention and raised concerns about safety in the city's urban core. Multiple videos of the 3 a.m. fight Downtown circulated on social media over the weekend, showing a fight breaking out in a crowd. People threw punches, kicked and jeered as a man on the ground tried to fend off the blows and a woman tumbled to the concrete, bloody and disoriented. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said only one person in the crowd of '100 or so' called 911. At a community meeting on the night of July 29, the chief, who has lashed out at bystanders of the fight, bars for overserving and the media, criticized the city's portrayal on national news and how the fight has been used as political ammo. Here's what we know about the arrests and the fight: Who has been arrested in connection with the Cincinnati brawl Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, have been arrested on felonious assault and aggravated riot charges, according to Cincinnati police. Theetge said on July 29 that a third person was in the process of being arrested. Police have identified two other suspects as well. Merriweather was indicted on four felony charges on July 10 after investigators said he was found to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Court records show he is charged with carrying concealed weapons, receiving stolen property, improper handling of firearms in a vehicle and weapons under disability. The last charge is due to a prior felony conviction in 2009 for aggravated robbery, the documents state. In the weapons case, Merriweather was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond. "He never should have been out," said Ken Kober, Cincinnati police union president. The Enquirer has reached out to the attorney who represented Merriweather in the previous case for comment. Hamilton County court records show Vernon has no prior criminal convictions in the county. The suspects are expected to appear in court on the morning of July 30. What happened in the Cincinnati brawl Police have not said what led to the fight at Fourth and Elm streets on a busy weekend in downtown Cincinnati. Some of the videos posted on social media showed that the fight began as two men circled each other and a crowd gathered. A few people step between them, in an apparent attempt to calm them down. One man appears to slap the other. At that point, more people join in, attacking the man who delivered the slap and kicking and punching him after he falls to the ground. Another video shows a woman moments before she's knocked to the pavement, approaching the men involved in the fight. Moments later, a woman in the crowd runs up to her and throws a punch. As she stumbles backward, another man punches her in the face so forcefully she goes limp and lies on the street, dazed. Who are the Cincinnati assault victims Police have not named the man and the woman who were seemingly attacked. Jonathan Cunningham, a spokesperson for the Cincinnati police, told USA Today on Tuesday, July 29, in an email that "two victims did go to the hospital the following day with at that time non-life-threatening injuries, treated and released." He added that he does not know what the status is of their follow-up care. Residents express safety concerns Cincinnati's Downtown restaurateurs, including the CEO of Jeff Ruby Culinary Entertainment, have called for a "real plan" to address the recent public safety concerns. More than 100 people packed a community meeting with Cincinnati leaders Tuesday night that had been scheduled before the fight. "I will not tolerate lawlessness on the streets of Cincinnati," Theetge said during the July 29 meeting at the Cincinnati Public Library. "I owe it to you as people who live and work here to get the lawlessness under control." One resident questioned the department's response to the fight during the early hours of Saturday morning, asking Theetge how many 911 calls for noise complaints or other disorder police received prior to the fight breaking out. A woman chimed in that there was at least one, indicating she had called that night. "Downtown was hopping. It was loud. It was crowded. It was noisy," Theetge said, admitting she did not have the exact number of calls for noise complaints or disorder that night. The chief said there was only one other medical run for the fire department that evening she knew of. Is there an uptick in crime in Cincinnati? The latest crime data provided by the city shows shootings are down when compared with data from this time last year, but property crimes, particularly in Over-the-Rhine and Downtown, are up: In Downtown and Over-the-Rhine, there have been nearly double the number of burglaries, breaking-and-entering incidents and thefts from cars so far this year. Citywide, there have been 34 reported homicides, compared to 30 at this time last year. More than a third of those killings have happened in the past month. In Over-the-Rhine, there have been five homicides this year, three of which have been in the past month. Reported shootings remain down across the city. Cincinnati police report 110 people have been shot so far this year, compared with 142 at this point in 2024. How the Cincinnati fight videos were shared on social media Signal 99, a Facebook page which calls itself "a Spicy meme page for Cops, Firefighters, Medics and Dispatchers," shared the video the morning of July 26. It went on to gain traction on multiple platforms, including on Mayoral candidate and JD Vance's half-brother Cory Bowman's own Facebook page, and additional angles of the incident have also been shared. Elon Musk, GOP Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, also weighed in. Politics, race and crime: Why a fight in Cincinnati went viral on social media The Enquirer will update this developing news report This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati fight: Arrests made after viral videos show crowd attack
