Iraq War Vet Was Warned Waffle House Wasn’t ‘Safe For Whites,’ Gets Beaten, Needs Brain Surgery

[Fan_Dancer 171]

A rural Mississippi man suffered life-threatening injuries and required brain surgery after, his friend said, he entered a Waffle House despite receiving a warning not to enter the restaurant because of the color of his skin.

The severe beating occurred early Sunday morning around 2 a.m., reports The Clarion-Ledger. Up to 20 assailants participated.

The injured man is Ralph Weems IV, a veteran of the Iraq War and a Marine. He is white.

The altercation began at about 1 a.m. when Weems and the friend, David Knighten, chose to go inside the Waffle House. Knighten said they made this decision after a man in the parking lot diplomatically suggested that they should leave because the patrons inside were angry about the Aug. 9 police shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. Thus, the unidentified man explained, the restaurant would not be a safe place for two white people.

According to Knighten, Weems, 32, began arguing with customers not long after he entered the Waffle House. It’s not clear what was said or what was in dispute. After the police eventually showed up, Weems and Knighten left.

On the way home, the pair decided to stop at a Huddle House — a similar, less iconic eatery that dots the South. The Huddle House was in West Point. Miss.

A group of people followed Weems and Knighten to the mostly empty Huddle House parking lot. A security guard told everyone to leave. However, Weems and Knighten found that some of the men had blocked their way.

Witnesses described the attackers as black but otherwise could not identify them.

Knighten, an Air Force veteran who fought in the war in Afghanistan, said he attempted to calm the hostilities, to no avail.

The people who came for Weems attacked him. He ended up on the ground, getting brutally kicked.

Knighten also suffered several injuries as he tried but failed to help his friend.

“All my injuries were minor fractures and lacerations,” he explained on Facebook, according to The Clarion-Ledger. “I just wish I could have reached him sooner. Please keep your thoughts and prayers on Ralph.”

Knighten added: “I do remember racial slurs being yelled from the crowd.”

Police failed to arrive on the scene until the crowd had dispersed.

“This does not appear to be a hate crime,” local police chief Tim Brinkley said, according to The Times-Picayune. “It’s very early in this investigation but thus far the evidence and statements suggest that a verbal altercation turned physical and somebody got hurt.”

For now, the incident is under investigation as an aggravated assault.

“It’s not clear whether or not all of the parties were involved in both incidents,” Brinkley also noted.

On Monday, police arrested 22-year-old Courtez McMillian in connection with the conflict. Police say other arrests are pending based on witness accounts and video footage captured in the Huddle House parking lot.

Weems is currently listed in fair condition at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

Bradley Barnes, who is related to Weems, said Weems is currently in a post-brain surgery coma induced by doctors.

“They’re going to try and wake him up tomorrow and see what damage was done,” Bradley said, according to The Times-Picayune.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2014/08/26/iraq-war-vet-was-warned-waffle-house-wasnt-safe-for-whites-gets-beaten-needs-brain-surgery/#ixzz3BfQRyem8

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Selective Excerpting Disorder, aggravated by Thread Title Does Not Match Article Syndrome.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think we need more duplicate posting of threads. How about three times the charm

Edited August 28, 2014 by Hail Ming!

[decocker 7,198]

WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS!?!?!?!?!?!

[Teddy B 17,251]

I think we need more duplicate posting of threads. How about three times the charm

We need to get the word out about the plight of the white man!!

[waka1 28]

WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS!?!?!?!?!?!

Because the PC 'race baiters' are hiding in the bunker......cowards

[decocker 7,198]

Because the PC 'race baiters' are hiding in the bunker......cowards

hint: there are two threads posted and one ongoing where this particular crime has been discussed..

[Fan_Dancer 171]

Selective Excerpting Disorder, aggravated by Thread Title Does Not Match Article Syndrome.

Feel free to fill in whichever important information the article left out.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Selective Excerpting Disorder, aggravated by Thread Title Does Not Match Article Syndrome.

I am not endorsing your opinion, but I will give you an A+ for creative posting in the making it sound like a medical condition category

on second thought I am not even sure there is an opinion in all that, so just take the A+ and have a nice day

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Hate crime is hate crime, regardless of race. Hate crimes are committed against all races.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Is there an echo in here?

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

A sad state of affairs. Not sure what anyone thought beating this man senseless would prove or change.

[waka1 28]

A sad state of affairs. Not sure what anyone thought beating this man senseless would prove or change.

The only human that was thinking was the guy outside the dinner that tried to warn them. Combat Marines do not tuck tail and run because of perceived hostility.

The Marine is in a medically induced coma...usually because of severe brain damage

Sheriff said, no hate crime was committed....that is outrageous

Bet O will send the FBI to investigate...

There's enough problems in the world right now, the last thing we need as Americans is an undeclared civil war in the USA.

Machiavelli redux

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

The only human that was thinking was the guy outside the dinner that tried to warn them. Combat Marines do not tuck tail and run because of perceived hostility.

The Marine is in a medically induced coma...usually because of severe brain damage

Sheriff said, no hate crime was committed....that is outrageous

Bet O will send the FBI to investigate...

There's enough problems in the world right now, the last thing we need as Americans is an undeclared civil war in the USA.

Machiavelli redux

Why would he? Sounds like they made one arrest already and are in the process of nabbing the other culprits of this horrible crime. Not like they know who did it and they are still walking around free. Can't understand why this always gets overlooked...

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

The article has been updated since last night, but back then it stated (and this is still in this article linked in the OP's post):

Police said it is not theirs to charge a hate crime if the situation does turn out to be racially motivated, but that the District Attorney's office and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation have been briefed.

"It's up to the Grand Jury to make this determination. All we do is process the evidence and turn the case over to the District Attorney who in turn presents it to the Grand Jury. It's within their discretion to add the hate crime enhancement," Brinkley said.

So it's up to the Grand Jury to determine whether this was a hate crime, not the police. Wailing about why the police haven't charged the alleged assailant with a hate crime is pointless, because apparently it's not in the police's purview.