Michigan man pleads guilty to smashing teen's face with bike lock because he was Black

[Floyd R. Turbo]

DETROIT – Nine months after a Black teenager had his teeth smashed out at a Michigan beach, the man who pummeled his face with a bike chain admitted in federal court that his actions were about hate, attacking the teen because of his race.

Lee Mouat, 43, of Newport, Michigan, faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to willfully causing bodily injury to an 18-year-old because of the teen's race. He entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III.

The incident happened at Sterling State Park in Monroe, where Mouat confronted a group of Black teenagers, including the victim, Devin Freelon Jr., 18.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/31/michigan-man-pleads-guilty-smashing-black-teens-face-lock/4818170001/

[llmart]

1. We have way too many racists in this state.

I moved to Michigan from the South and I've been here quite awhile now. I used to think there were more racists in the South, but Michigan is proving me wrong.

This jackass doesn't even mind admitting this. Hope he gets 10 years to think about it in his cell.

[gibraltar72]

3. The racist 1776 report was penned in my county in Mi.

[Cal Carpenter]

6. Yep, I grew up in the burbs of Detroit and there were tons of racists

Fortunately my dad grew up in Detroit and both my parents helped counter the racism we were surrounded by. But it was prevalent in my very-white community, sometimes subtle, sometimes not.

As a teen my folks let me go to Detroit with my friends for music festivals and other events. They'd give us rides and drop us off, and as soon as I could drive, Dad would write down really good directions, make sure I had a map, and send me on my way. My parents' friends were surprised that they let me go.They'd ask me things like "aren't you scared being there?" and I eventually figured out the unspoken part of that question - "...since there are so many black people..." (This would have been late 1980s, when I was in my mid-teens)

Ugh.

[llmart]

11. I could pick out the subtle references to their racism almost as soon as I moved here.

My suburban neighbors, if asked why they moved here would say something akin to "we lived in blah, blah, blah, but the neighborhood was starting to turn". They didn't have to tell me what they meant by that. I'm surprised they didn't say, "those people". I now live in a lily white (well, it used to be) subdivision of older people and two years ago an African American family moved in. Now, there really aren't that many families in my neighborhood since it tends to be mostly seniors. This AA neighbor has three kids and they are a bit rambunctious as kids usually are. Boy, the comments I've heard from a few people where they think they're hiding their racism. And why do they have to make a big announcement of "did you know a black family moved in on the side street?" as if a man from mars moved in or something. I can't imagine anyone saying, "did you know a white person moved in down the street?"

Apparently last summer they had a rather large party for the wife's milestone birthday. We have next to no parking in our sub for many extras, so people have to park on the street. The streets in our sub are private. Lots of these oldsters in here like to sit out in their garages in their lawn chairs in good weather and watch the goings on. Someone called the condo board president to say the party hosts were playing music too loud. I don't live near them but this is a small sub and I never heard a thing. I told my one friend who lives near them that most of these people are hard of hearing so I doubt it was that loud and that maybe if it was, it would liven up their lives a bit. She and I laughed at that.

[CrispyQ]

2. I hope he serves every damned day of the 10 years. Wish it had been more. -nt

[uponit7771]

4. +1,

[SheltieLover]

5. Should have been life, no parole!

[Celerity]

7. the scum looks like an old Nazi skinhead type

[bluestarone]

9. Yea asshole, wear a cross. That will make everything ok.

RACIST JERK.

[Maru Kitteh]

10. The X-tian amulet is a nice touch. Nt

[llmart]

12. Ugh.

Thinks he's a tough guy. We'll see how tough he is in the slammer.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Maybe a better punishment would be to give the teen

the same kind of bike lock (or chain, both are mentioned) and let him do the same damage.