The co-captain of the Harriott II riverboat, involved in the Montgomery riverfront brawl, has been charged with assault several months after the incident.
On August 5th, a brawl ensued as captured in the footage, where pontoon boat owners approached Dameion Pickett, the co-captain of the riverboat. Pickett had asked them to move their boat from the designated docking spot of the riverboat. The altercation resulted in one of the owners punching Pickett.
According to records from the Montgomery Municipal Court, Mr. Pickett has been charged with third-degree assault. Zachery Shipman, who is also involved in the riverfront brawl, is the complainant in the case and filed the complaint on October 26th. Mr. Pickett is scheduled to make his court appearance on November 21st.
In the aftermath of the brawl, Mr. Pickett stated that he was simply carrying out his duties and was taken aback when he was attacked.
Mr. Pickett was caught off guard by what happened at work that day. He had simply been anticipating a calm and enjoyable cruise, but things didn’t go as planned.
According to a spokesperson from the Montgomery Police Department as reported by The Montgomery Advertiser, the charges brought against the Alabama man are not a result of any action taken by the City or the police department. In fact, the department’s investigation only identified Mr. Pickett as the victim.
Mary Todd filed a complaint against Roshein “RahRah” Carlton, a colleague who came to Mr Pickett’s defense, in addition to the charges. Records reveal that Mr Carlton is also facing charges of third-degree assault, and the complaint was filed on August 15. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 15.
During the incident, Mr Carlton reported that he had heard numerous racial slurs being used.
After the brawl, the Montgomery Police Chief stated that there was no indication of a hate crime based on the available evidence.
According to Capt Jim Kittrell, the captain of the Harriott II, he strongly believes that the attack was motivated by racial discrimination.
According to him, the senior deckhand first mate who worked with him was attacked by a group of white men. He strongly believes that the only reason behind this attack was racism.
After the initial exchange, the brawl escalated quickly. However, he admitted that the fight was not a matter of race. According to him, “It was simply a case of fellow sailors coming to the aid of one of their own.”
Five individuals were arrested and charged following the brawl. Richard Roberts, Zachery Shipman, Allen Todd, Mary Todd, and Reggie Ray were all charged in connection to the incident. The first four individuals faced charges of assault in the third degree, while Mr. Ray was charged with disorderly conduct.
While Ms. Todd and Mr. Roberts have admitted their guilt, Mr. Todd, Mr. Shipman, and Mr. Ray have denied the charges against them.
