Trump Supporter, Clifton A. Blackwell Charged With Felony 1st-Degree Reckless Injury, Hate Crime And Use Of A Dangerous Weapon In The Acid Dousing Of Muhad Villalaz In Milwaukee

Blackwell was charged with 1st-degree reckless injury, with added enhancers that includes a hate crime and use of a dangerous weapon for the November 1 battery acid dousing of a 42-year-old Latino.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 6, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, Clifton A. Blackwell, 61, was charged with one felony count for 1st-degree reckless injury with additional enhancers for a hate crime and use of a dangerous weapon for the November 1st acid dousing of Muhad Villalaz, 42, in Milwaukee's Southside. If convicted, Blackwell is facing up to 25 years in prison and $100,000 in fines for the 1st-degree reckless injury charge and an additional 5 years in prison for the hate crime enhancer.

Villalaz who is originally from Peru and a U.S. Citizen says, that the racially charged verbal confrontation started when Blackwell approached him and complained about him parking near a bus stop, so Villalaz moved his truck and then returned to go into a Mexican restaurant at the 2600 block of S. 13th Street where Blackwell was waiting for him near the entrance. Blackwell and Villalaz began to exchange words, but Blackwell told Villalaz that he was an "illegal" and should go back to his country including other racial slurs. A video surveillance camera caught the moment when Villalaz flinched and Blackwell who had an open aluminum container doused Villalaz with battery acid.

Villalaz immediately ran inside the restaurant and rinsed the acid from his face with water, but received 2nd-degree burns to his face and his clothes were burned with acid.

Milwaukee police were able to arrest Blackwell the next day and the acid incident news went viral nationwide and reached other parts of the globe.

A GoFundMe was created by his sister to help pay for Villalaz's medical bills with a $15,000 goal and it raised a total of $52,754 with a single anonymous donor donating $12,500, which the fundraiser was recently deactivated.

Blackwell is a Trump supporter, according to a woman that operates a local business, which Blackwell used to frequent and is considered a racist just like Trump himself.

Democratic Presidential candidate Tom Steyer who was visiting the Latino community on Wednesday morning confirmed during a gathering that he had heard of Blackwell's acid dousing on Villalaz and called Trump, a fake president who is a racist.
Steyer is the only 2020 Democratic U.S. Presidential candidate that has come to the Milwaukee Latino community and reached out to Hispanics and has engaged in dialogue, one on one with Latino residents and listened to their concerns. 

Also in August, a small group of Latino MAGAs who feed on Trump's racist and hate rants created a fake Latino MAGA Facebook page to target Latino members of the Hispanic community and to promote division, hate and Nazi propaganda in Wisconsin to help raise campaign funds to re-elect Trump. So far, none of the Latino MAGAs (Make America Great Again/Keep America Great) have come forward publicly to condemn Blackwell's hate crime act and to demand justice for Villalaz as numerous Democratic public elected officials, Latino community leaders, immigrant rights advocates and members of the local LULAC Council have done including Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who have pushed for Blackwell, a convicted felon and a U.S. Marine veteran to be charged with a hate crime. AP reported that an official from the U.S. Marines branch could not find any record by name and birth date that Blackwell had ever served as a Marine.

Clifton A. Blackwell criminal complaint filed:

Clifton A. Blackwell Facing One Felony Count For Aggravated Battery Including Hate Crime Enhancer In The Acid Attack Of Muhad Villalaz In Milwaukee

Blackwell was booked in the Milwaukee County jail with a $10,000 bail bond in connection with the battery acid attack of Muhad Villalaz on November 1st in Milwaukee's Southside.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 5, 2019

Milwaukee, WI - On Tuesday, Clifton A. Blackwell, 61, was booked in the Milwaukee County Jail, while charges are pending for one felony count of aggravated battery with a hate crime enhancer in connection with the November 1st battery acid attack of Muhad Villalaz, 42, and a bail bond was set for Blackwell at $10,000, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department. The Villalaz family confirmed on Tuesday that Blackwell will be charged by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office with a felony hate crime and aggravated battery charge for the acid dousing of Muhad while making racially motivated verbal abuse. If convicted on the pending charges, Blackwell will be facing 5 years in prison and $10,000 in fines for the hate crime and 15 years in prison and $50,000 in fines for the aggravated battery charge.
On Friday, Villalaz was hospitalized after he was attacked before 8:30 p.m. with battery acid during a verbal dispute with Blackwell at the 2600 block of  S. 13th Street in the Southside of Milwaukee, according to Milwaukee police. 

Villalaz had just arrived at the Taqueria La Sierrita restaurant located at S. 13 and W. Cleveland when he encountered Blackwell and got into a verbal dispute over a parking spot near a bus route 19 stop before the suspect threw the battery acid at Villalaz, after telling him to go back to his country including using other verbal racial slurs and then fled on foot.

Blackwell and Villalaz's verbal dispute including Blackwell dousing Villalaz with the acid was recorded by an outdoor video surveillance camera from the restaurant and the video footage taken by police. Blackwell was taken into custody by police on Saturday.

Blackwell is a U.S. military Veteran and served in the U.S. Marines, which his family says suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In 2006, Blackwell was charged and later in 2011, he was convicted for a felony charge in Rusk County for false imprisonment and a misdemeanor for pointing a weapon at an individual. He served 379 days in jail as time served, according to court records.

Currently, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office is reviewing Blackwell's pending charges and is expected to include a hate crime enhancer, according to the Villalaz family.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett condemned Blackwell's acid attack on Villalaz and blamed Trump's anti-immigrant and hate rhetoric including his attempt to divide the country. Blackwell is a Trump supporter, according to a woman that operates a local business, which Blackwell used to frequent and is considered a racist like Trump himself.
Also, local public elected officials including U.S. Congresswoman Gwendolyn Moore (D-Milw.), Wisconsin State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milw.), Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milw.), Wisconsin State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milw.), Milwaukee Alderman José G. Pérez and Forward Latino leaders Darryl Morin and Eilleen Figueroa de Lopez, Wisconsin LULAC State Director Lupe Martinez and Domingo Garcia, the National LULAC President are calling for Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm to charge Blackwell with a hate crime for making racial verbal attacks at Villalaz who is originally from Peru, but is a U.S. Citizen. According to Villalaz, Blackwell called him an "illegal", other racial slurs and told him that he should go back to his country.

So far, none of the Wisconsin Latino MAGAs (Make America Great Again/Keep America Great) who are local Trump supporters that created a Latino MAGA Facebook page to promote hate and Nazi propaganda to target Latinos in the Hispanic community and to also raise campaign donations for Trump in the state, including Republican State legislators in control of the legislature have not come forward publicly to condemn the racially motivated acid attack of Villalaz by Blackwell.

42-year-old Latino Attacked By White Male Suspect With Battery Acid During A Verbal Dispute In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Villalaz recounts acid attack in English

En Español

 

Video of acid attack released by restaurant 

A 42-year-old Hispanic man was hospitalized for 2nd degree battery acid burns to his face after a verbal dispute with a White male suspect identified as Clifton A. Blackwell who was arrested by Milwaukee police in connection with the attack.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 2, 2019
Updated

Milwaukee, WI - On Friday, Mahud Villalaz, 42, was hospitalized after he was attacked before 8:30 p.m. with battery acid during a verbal dispute with Clifton A. Blackwell, 61, at the 2600 block of  S. 13 Street in the Southside of Milwaukee, according to Milwaukee police. A Facebook post described the battery acid incident attack as a possible hate crime. 

Villalaz had just arrived at a restaurant located at S. 13 and W. Cleveland when he encountered Blackwell and got into a verbal dispute over a parking spot near a bus route 19 stop before the suspect threw the battery acid at Villalaz, told him to go back to his country and then fled on foot.

The Blackwell was described by police as 6 feet tall with medium built wearing a blue jacket with a hoodie and carrying a small metal container in one hand including a white bag wearing black pants and shoes. The suspect was in the area for sometime according to some video surveillance footage that was recorded and taken by police in an attempt to identify the suspect.
Blackwell is a U.S. military Veteran and served in the U.S. Marines, which his family says suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In 2006, Blackwell was convicted for a felony charge in Rusk County for pointing a weapon at an individual.

Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department  booking photo.

Update: Mahud Villalaz who is a U.S. Citizen during a press conference on Saturday after being released from the hospital recounted the acid attack.

Police confirmed, the suspect (Blackwell) had been taken into custody on Saturday and is facing aggravated battery in connection with the acid attack of Villalaz.

A GoFundMe has been created for Mahud Villalaz to help pay for his medical bills at link: https://bit.ly/2WBCpJ1

In less than 9 hours the GoFundMe for Mahud collected $15,841 (goal $15,000) with 84 donating including one anonymous donor who donated $12,500.

Some Officers From Milwaukee Police 2nd District Station Not Doing Their Jobs Including Violating Due Process While Assisting U.S. ICE Rogue Agents

The Milwaukee Police 2nd District Station is facing criticism after some officers have neglected to do their jobs and others that assisted U.S. ICE rogue agents in an arrest failed to follow due process when detaining an undocumented immigrant for a frivolous violation of probation.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 28, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Monday, a witness who video recorded the aftermath of a multiple vehicle crash on early Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the 1300 block of W. Windlake Ave. and was able to get images of the two male suspects identified as Jose Rodriguez and Jesus Israel Rodriguez that fled the scene of a hit-and-run crash confirmed to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) that he went to provide info at the 2nd police district on Monday about the incident and the officer of person at the front desk failed to take the info and told him he had to return on the third shift to talk to someone else. The witness stated, "I just went to police station and tried to give them the two guys names and they turn me away...They said, I had to wait for third shift to come on and didn't give me no address, no phone number or nothing."

The other incident happened on September 23, 2019 when multiple police officers including a K-9 unit from the 2nd Police District assisted U.S. ICE rogue agents to arrest undocumented Jose Alejandro de la Cruz-Espinosa on frivolous probation violation charge in order to revoke his probation and arrest him at the scene in Milwaukee's Southside. In this incident, ICE agents blocked the De la Cruz family from driving away and wanted to arrest De la Cruz-Espinosa, but they didn't have a federal judicial warrant to extract him from a vehicle, so ICE agents had police revoke his probation at the scene for a conviction of carrying a conceal handgun. De la Cruz-Espinosa's wife and two daughters were in the vehicle as well. Video footage was recorded by several staff members from Voces de la Frontera at the scene and was later released showing police admitting they didn't have a warrant yet and ICE rogue agents didn't have a warrant as well at the time.

During a Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission hearing on October 17, 2019, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales stated that there was an active federal warrant for De la Cruz-Espinosa and that police were assisting ICE agents to make an arrest, but federal courthouse records have no federal warrant filed for De la Cruz and even the U.S. Marshals Office confirmed that no judicial federal warrant was registered with them.

In other words, ICE rogue agents didn't have a judicial warrant to arrest De la Cruz-Espinosa and police officers after arresting him on a state probation violation turned De la Cruz-Espinosa to ICE agents at the scene without processing him on the state probation violation, thus violating De la Cruz-Espinosa's due process as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and Wisconsin State Constitution and laws.

The third incident happened on August 28, 2019 at the 1300 block of S. 14th St. where a White male stole a trailer and drove away with it and an outdoor video surveillance camera recorded the theft. The owner of the stolen trailer reported the theft to police and the officer investigating the incident neglected to follow up and get a copy of the video footage of the theft and it was automatically erased before the owner of the trailer got a copy and posted it on Facebook. Apparently, when the owner of the stolen trailer went to turn in the copy of the video to police, he was told that they needed the original video to file a criminal case, eventhough police was able to identify the thief. Police haven't done anything in this case, but they actually went to talk to the thief themselves.

Three incidents that show negligence by certain police officers, failure to investigate an incident and officers violating due process of an undocumented immigrant in state custody under Police Captain Paul Lough from Milwaukee 2nd Police District Station and Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales whose contract expires soon and is trying to get hired for another full term.

Additional info: Fourth incident involving multiple police officers from the Milwaukee Police 2nd District Station, a brief filed in federal court on Tuesday, October 8, 2019 showed Milwaukee police officers including two Supervisors from the Milwaukee Police 2nd District Station at the scene (Walgreens ar the 2600 block of W. National Ave.) who lied, violated the Constitutional rights of Sterling Brown, the victim for parking in a handicapped parking space. It also shows the lack of termination (most officers weren't fired) of any police officers involved that engaged in excessive use of force. Only one officer was fired for posting a racist comment on his Facebook account. Lack of accountability in the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) today under MPD Chief Alfonso Morales. These police officers and supervisors became a liability for the City, Milwaukee Police Department, the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission and should have all been terminated for their illegal actions including lying about what actually happened to Brown who is African-American. Check out PDF federal brief filing: https://bit.ly/2NrN5pv

The Milwaukee 2nd Police District Station is located in the predominantly Latino community.

Several Suspects In Milwaukee Hit-and-Run Fled From Scene, But Two Witnesses Video Recorded Crash Aftermath And Followed Them

The driver and passenger of an SUV that crashed into multiple vehicles at the 1300 block of W. Windlake fled the scene, but were video recorded by several witnesses.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 26, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Several witnesses that were driving by a multiple vehicle crash scene at the 1300 block of W. Windlake Ave. around 2:10 a.m. on early Saturday spotted two males who appeared to be intoxicated by their SUV after they apparently struck multiple parked vehicles and the side of a house. One of the suspects got back into the SUV and drove forward striking another vehicle and got out and began to walk away while one of the witnesses was video recording the incident.

The two suspects continued walking South on 14 St. from W. Lincoln Ave. and cut through an alley and than ran from the witnesses.

One of the witnesses while following the suspects had called 911 and was providing information to the operator about the suspects.

The witness posted several videos of the hit-and-run incident on his Facebook page and asked for people to share in order to identify the suspects.

Update: According to a source, the two suspects in the hit-and-run crash were identified as Jose Rodriguez and Jesus Ismael Rodriguez, which both could be facing one felony count each for hit-and-run. Apparently, a female who was also identified as Jessica Hernandez picked them up after they fled the crash and before police arrived at the scene.

Milwaukee Male Suspect In Connection With The Southside Halloween Skull Theft Identified

One of three alleged suspects identified in Halloween Skulls theft.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 18, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, a male suspect involve with two females that were recorded by a home security surveillance video camera stealing two large Halloween skulls from a Southside residence has apparently been identified as William "Billy" George Leary Jr., 29, according to his Facebook (FB) account. Leary hasn't been charged yet with a skulls theft crime. 

Leary who celebrated his Birthday on October 16 is been sought by Milwaukee police in connection with last Wednesday's theft of two large decorative skulls from a porch.

Police are still looking for the two women that were also caught on video in connection with taking the skulls that weigh at least 20 pounds each from a home.

The owner of the skulls says that he paid about $100.00 for each skull.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) received a tip and a copy of Leary's Facebook account, which apparently the tipster doesn't like thieves and asked to remain anonymous.

HNNUSA checked an image from the outdoor home video and Leary's FB account profile and the facial recognition certainly matched like the suspect Milwaukee police are looking for involved the theft crime.
Leary has an open misdemeanor retail theft case (intentionally take of value up to $500 and a party to a crime enhancer) and has a court hearing on October 25, 2019 in Milwaukee County Courtroom 623 at 8:30a.m. and missed one previous court hearing and a warrant was issued, but stayed until the upcoming court date, according to court records. He remains free on a $250 signature bail.

Update: Billy Leary apparently confessed to the skulls theft when outed in the Milwaukee Southsiderz Facebook page.
Also, an open warrant has been issued for Leary on 10/30/2019 and a second charged for retail theft was filed on 10/25/2019.

Undocumented Jose Alejandro De la Cruz-Espinosa Had An Active Federal Warrant, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales Says, But Didn't Specified, If It Was A Legal Judicial Warrant Or An Illegal U.S.ICE Administrative Issued Warrant

Milwaukee Police Chief Morales told the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission that 38-year-old undocumented immigrant arrested on September 23 in the Southside by Milwaukee police officers from Police District 2 had an active federal warrant.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 18, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales told the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission during a hearing that undocumented Jose Alejandro De la Cruz-Espinosa, 38, had an active federal warrant and admitted that police officers were assisting U.S. ICE agents in arresting him on September 23, in the Southside of Milwaukee. If in fact, ICE agents on that particular day had an active federal warrant signed by a judge to take De la Cruz-Espinosa into custody, why would police actually arrest De la Cruz-Espinosa after contacting his Wisconsin Department of Corrections Probation Officer Minerva Santiago-Gomez to revoke his probation for a prior misdemeanor conviction for carrying a conceal gun. At the time De la Cruz-Espinosa was taken into custody by police in the Southside of Milwaukee for a frivolous probation violation, he didn't have active warrants, according to state court records.

Chief Morales in his testimony stated, that "The Milwaukee Police Department responded to a request for assistance from law enforcement officers from ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) on September 23, 2019, officers assisted ICE in the apprehension of Mr. Jose De la Cruz who was in violation of probation and had an active federal warrant. Just want to clear the air, that Mr. De la Cruz has a criminal history of fire arms possession, delivery of control substance, battery, receiving stolen property, disorderly conduct and obstructing. Milwaukee police officers were able to engage in active dialogue with Mr. De la Cruz, which deescalated the situation and allowed them to take him into custody without incident. 

The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) does not engage in sweeps, there were no sweeps (immigration) in the last two years. This was assisting another law enforcement agency to make an arrest. An arrest that would have been made regardless, if you are a U.S. Citizen or not."

When police arrested De la Cruz-Espinosa, they immediately turn him over to ICE agents without any due process for the state probation violation.
Kristine De la Cruz told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) on Friday that De la Cruz-Espinosa's lawyer confirmed that there was no active federal warrant for her husband at the time of his arrest.
According to Ilrc dot com, "An ICE (administrative) warrant directs various federal immigration enforcement agents to arrest the person named in the warrant. Because it is not issued by a judge, an ICE warrant does not give the immigration enforcement officer the authority to demand entry to a home or private space in order to make the arrest. "ICE warrants do not generally provide a basis for a local or state law enforcement officer or agency (LEA) to arrest or detain anyone. Federal regulations allow a specific list of federal immigration agents to execute administrative immigration arrest warrants."

A video taken by members from Voces de la Frontera when the incident occurred showed that police nor ICE agents had warrants and De la Cruz's wife even made it clear that when ICE agents were asked to show a warrant for her husband, ICE agents refused to show a warrant, simply because they had none.

Is Chief Morales attempting to coverup the alleged questionable act by ICE agents to ask for police assistance on an arrest because they lacked a federal judicial warrant signed by a judge and had police to revoke De la Cruz's probation to arrest him on a frivolous charge? If ICE agents would actually have had an active federal warrant for De la Cruz-Espinosa, they would have arrested him without the aid of police officers at the scene. 

In this case, Milwaukee police officers erred in turning De la Cruz-Espinosa to U.S. ICE rogue agents without affording De la Cruz-Espinosa his due process as guaranteed by both the U.S. Constitution and the Wisconsin State Constitution and laws, but what can you expect from rogue ICE and agents that lack any accountability and a police department including its officers that are so eager to assist ICE agents without actually first confirming, that ICE agents have all the legal required documents and federal judicial warrants to take an undocumented immigrant into custody while being assisted by police.

The MPD, Chief Morales and the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission need to make sure that its officers and supervisors confirm that ICE agents have their legal warrants to arrest a resident of the City of Milwaukee and should also have a Standard Operating Procedure in place to check for ICE legal warrants to avoid a possible federal lawsuit for committing illegal acts.

Editor's note: According to U.S. ICE, "Under the Immigration and Nationality Act as passed by Congress, ICE detainers, removal orders issued by federal immigration judges, and ICE immigration enforcement in general, is conducted under civil law. The “judicial warrant” demanded by a sheriff (police) only applies to criminal cases and does not exist for civil law matters. "However, for every detainer ICE issues the agency also provides an accompanying administrative warrant, or a warrant of removal along with the detainer, which is the warrant that does exist for matters governed under civil law." The ICE warrants are not legal binding to enter private property to arrest a suspected undocumented individual or a vehicle, which is private property as well, but ICE attempts to deceit the public by making it seem that ICE administrative warrants are legal to execute on private property and force a Sheriff's Department or Police Department to turn over an individual. Law enforcement agencies do neglect to honor such ICE detainers and administrative warrants to avoid being liable by an individual due to the non legal binding ICE warrants and detainers.

Any Milwaukee police officer or supervisor caught lying, making false reports and violating the due process of any person whether a U.S. Citizen or not should be grounds to be subject for termination from duties and job, if in fact it is found the police officer or supervisor has violated police department policies and laws. Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales and the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission should not tolerate this type of illegal acts and should fire these officers when they become a liability to the police department, City and residents. These police officers have sworned to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the State Constitution including laws and when they fail to do so, they should get fired.