Five individuals who were involved in a high-profile brawl on the Alabama riverfront are eager to have their day in court. The group has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of assault and disorderly conduct. According to police reports, four white boaters were captured on video, hitting and pushing a Black riverboat captain in Montgomery. They pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges. Additionally, a Black man who was filmed swinging a folding chair during the altercation has entered a plea of not guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges. Court records in Montgomery Municipal Court indicate that the not-guilty pleas were entered last week. The videos of the brawl were widely circulated on social media and resulted in numerous memes, jokes, parodies, reenactments, and even T-shirts.
According to WSFA, Richard White, the legal representative for one of the white boaters involved in the incident, is determined to ensure that his client receives fair treatment, especially since the incident has garnered national attention. Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert had previously stated to the media that the altercation started when the owner of a pontoon boat refused to vacate a docking spot that was reserved for the Harriott II riverboat, which is owned by the city. To resolve the issue, the co-captain of the riverboat used a smaller vessel to go ashore and move the pontoon boat so that the Harriott II could dock and allow its approximately 200 passengers to disembark.
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