Several individuals who were involved in the violent brawl that made national headlines two months ago on Montgomery’s riverfront have provided insight into the incident during an exclusive interview with ‘Good Morning America.’
On August 5th, a viral incident occurred when the crew members of the Harriott II were faced with an obstacle during their docking process. Unfortunately, a private pontoon boat was blocking their path, leading to a conflict that quickly escalated.
The incident that took place has gained notoriety due to the chaos that erupted. Multiple cell phone videos captured the entire scene, which included punches being thrown and even a chair being used as a weapon.
During a recent interview with Robin Roberts, Harriott II Co-captain Dameion Pickett shared that he’s still feeling a little sore with some bumps and bruises. However, he expressed gratitude for being alive and credited it to the grace of God.
Pickett expressed surprise and disbelief at the unexpected turn of events that occurred at work that day. “I didn’t anticipate anything out of the ordinary during my shift and was looking forward to a typical, calm day on the job,” she shared.
During the segment, Aaren Hamilton-Rudolph, a teenager who swam to the dock to defend Pickett, and Roshein “RahRah” Carlton, Pickett’s coworker and friend, were also interviewed.
According to Hamilton-Rudolph, she couldn’t just stand idly by and watch as someone was being beaten while others merely recorded and watched.
According to Carlton, he was subjected to numerous racial slurs during the incident.
According to Montgomery Police Chief Albert Pickett, his team thoroughly investigated all possible leads and explored every avenue, leaving no stone unturned in their efforts. However, despite their extensive efforts, they were unable to find any evidence of a riot or racially biased charges at this time.
According to Reggie Ray’s lawyer, who is African American and is the sole defendant not present on the pontoon boat to face charges in this case, the assault on the workers was motivated by racial factors. In one of the viral videos, Ray can be seen wielding a folding chair.
According to Lee Merritt, Ray was pulled into the violent behavior of a white mob against his will. The lawyer emphasized that Ray did not initiate any disorderly conduct himself.
The pontoon boat had four white defendants. One attorney representing three of them stated that it would be too early to provide any comments regarding the charges.
The charges that have been filed against the individuals are all misdemeanors, and they vary from third-degree assault to disorderly conduct.
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