Photo: Charles Murrell III | By Mark Pratt, Associated Press | A Black teacher and musician who says members of a white nationalist hate group punched, kicked and beat him with metal shields during a march through Boston last year sued the organization on Tuesday.
Charles Murrell III, of Boston, was in the area of the Boston Public Library to play his saxophone on July 2, 2022, when he was surrounded by members of the Patriot Front and assaulted in a “coordinated, brutal, and racially motivated attack,” according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston.
Murrell was taken by ambulance to the hospital for treatment of lacerations, some of which required stitches, the suit says.
“As a result of this beating, Mr. Murrell sustained physical injuries to his face, head, and hand, all of which required medical attention. Mr. Murrell also continues to suffer significant emotional distress to this day as a result of the incident,” the suit says. “Among other harms, those physical and emotional injuries have adversely affected Mr. Murrell’s ability to earn a living as a musician.”
He has “been plagued by severe anxiety, mental anguish, invasive thoughts, and emotional distress, including, but not limited to, persistent concern for his physical safety and loss of sleep,” and “routinely has nightmares and flashbacks,” according to the suit.
The defendants are Patriot Front, its founder Thomas Rousseau and multiple John Does. Emails seeking comment have been sent to attorneys who have either represented Patriot Front in the past or represent the group in pending litigation.
Murrell, who has a background teaching special education, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Monday that the lawsuit is about holding Patriot Front accountable, helping his own healing process and preventing anything similar from happening to children of color, like those he teaches.
“Because I am a teacher, because I come from special education, I am filing this suit so that even if one of them has a safer sidewalk to walk on, the work that I am doing will have been very much worth it,” Murrell said.
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No one has been charged in connection with the attack on Murrell, 36, and the investigation remains open, according to a spokesperson for the Suffolk district attorney’s office.
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Read the rest of the story here:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/boston-man-files-lawsuit-seeking-115445700.html
Photo: Charles Murrell III
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Boston Man (Musician & Teacher) Files Lawsuit Seeking to Bankrupt White Supremacist Group He Says Assaulted Him
