Newark man indicted for hate crime assault on elderly neighbor

Brandon Watt, a 39-year-old man from Newark, New York, has been indicted by a Wayne County grand jury on charges including second-degree assault as a hate crime. The indictment follows an alleged June 23 attack on his 70-year-old Black neighbor, Johnny White.

Prosecutors allege that the violence was the culmination of weeks of racial harassment, including the use of racial slurs and threats. During the attack, Watt reportedly struck White from behind with his fists and a two-by-four wooden plank. The assault resulted in severe injuries for White, including a fractured eye socket, a broken nose, a broken lower jaw, and deep facial cuts.

Watt pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday. If convicted, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years.