Milwaukee Man Sentenced To Prison In 2019 Hate Crime Acid Attack

MILWAUKEE, WI — A court sentenced a Milwaukee man to prison time after he was found guilty of throwing battery acid in another man's face in a 2019 hate crime attack.

Clifton Blackwell, 64, will serve 10 years in prison after being convicted of first-degree reckless injury with the use of a dangerous weapon, court records showed. A judge added five years of extended supervision to Blackwell's sentence.

"When we let those differences cloud our judgment, that's bias or prejudice or discrimination, and in this instance it is hate," Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Marie Kies, according to a report by WISN-12. "I'm sure (the acid) was absolutely painful. And you caused him emotional distress that I think is never going to heal. You made him feel he's not worthy and that's diabolical."

Blackwell, who is white, was accused of throwing battery acid in a Latino man's face in a dispute over a parking space in November 2019. Advocates for Latin American citizens had urged the county district attorney to charge the 60-year-old with a hate crime.

Mahud Villalaz, 42, had parked his car near a restaurant in downtown Milwaukee when he was approached by a man who shouted at him over where he parked his car, he said at a news conference. Villalaz moved his car but was confronted by the man — identified by prosecutors as Blackwell — a second time.

Blackwell shouted racially charged statements at Villalaz, a criminal complaint said. When Villalaz responded, the 64-year-old pulled a bottle of acid out and threw it in his face, according to prosecutors.

Police found Villalaz with his face severely burned after the attack, the complaint said. He was taken to St. Mary's Burn Center and treated for second-degree burns to his face, cheek, neck and left eye.

RELATED:

• Video Shows Attacker Throwing Acid In Man's Face
• Milwaukee Acid Attack: Group Wants Suspect Charged In Hate Crime
• Acid Attack: Hate Crime Charges Filed In Milwaukee Assault