NJ man who went viral in 2021 for racist outburst towards neighbour sentenced to eight years in jail

A white New Jersey man whose racist abuse of a Black neighbour went viral on social media has been sentenced to eight years in jail.

Edward Cagney Mathews, 47, was filmed spitting, shouting and hurling racial slurs in the direction of a resident on the Essex Place condominiums in Mount Laurel township, round 17 miles east of Philadelphia, on 2 July 2021.

He pleaded responsible to 4 counts of bias intimidation and possession of a managed, harmful substance with intent to distribute in October and was ordered to spend at the least 4 years behind bars earlier than being eligible for parole, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Workplace mentioned in an announcement.

In response to the Philly Voice, Mathews had gone to confront the president of the condominium’s residence house owners’ affiliation when the neighbour tried to intervene to defuse the state of affairs.

The viral clip confirmed Mathews aggressively sq. as much as the person, use the N-word, chest bump him, and brag that he had run different Black owners out of city. He was charged with harassment and biased intimidation.

A search of his residence discovered a big amount of psilocybin muchrooms, prosecutor’s mentioned.

The day after the video was posted on-line, lots of of protestors gathered outdoors Mathews’ residence calling for him to be locked up and face additional costs. The crowds remained on the scene for hours till he was arrested by police that night.

Prosecutors mentioned Mathews had a sample of terrorising at the least 5 of his neighbours and the condominium’s board members.

Mathews known as his Black neighbours “monkeys,” left faeces on their property, despatched them threatening emails and letters, and shot their automobiles with BB pellets previous to his arrest, based on prosecutors.

Mathews made a tearful apology for his “insensitive and disrespectful phrases up to now”, whereas pleading for a decreased sentence in court docket, based on the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

“Each saint has a previous and each sinner has a future,” he mentioned in court docket.

Mathews mentioned the racist outbursts had price him his marriage and all of his possessions after his spouse divorced him and bought their residence.

He has been in custody since his arrest in July 2021, and can be credited with time served.

In an announcement, Prosecutor Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw mentioned: “Our workplace is dedicated to combatting bias crimes and sending a transparent message that such actions won’t be tolerated in our neighborhood.

“No one ought to must endure what these victims skilled.”