New Jersey Black Man Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison For Fatally Punching Racist Who Called Him N-Word

A New Jersey Black man will spend at least two and a half years behind bars after fatally punching a racist white man who called him the N-word after assaulting his wife with his bicycle, which happened after the white man had allegedly been harassing his family for months.

Anthony Collins, 41, was sentenced Thursday to three years in state prison and will be eligible for parole after serving two years and six months, according to Asbury Park Press. As part of a plea agreement, Collins pleaded guilty to manslaughter on June 10. The incident occurred on Sept. 18, 2023, in Seaside Heights, after the victim—if one insists on calling him that—70-year-old Robert May slammed into Collins’ wife with his bicycle and then turned around and called Collins the N-word. Collins then punched May in the face once, causing the septuagenarian to fall from his bike and strike his head on a curb, rendering him unconscious.

New Jersey father, Anthony Collins, sentenced to 3-years in prison after fatally punching white man who hit his wife with a bike and repeatedly called his children the n-word, Judge says he should have called the police instead. pic.twitter.com/EryydhGSSX

— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) August 13, 2024

Collins’ attorney, Terrence Turnbach, argued in October that his client was defending himself and his family from a rabid racist who had a history of racially harassing the Black family, including Collins’ children, who Turnbach said were called racial slurs at least 10 times by May.

“That’s what my client was doing that day, Judge, dealing with an individual he was well aware of from the standpoint that he had called his children ‘ni**er kid’ over eleven to twelve occasions,” Turnbach argued before state Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan. “He’s got a right to defend his wife and himself. Their alleged victim was looking for my client, assaulted his wife, and called him a name that’s reprehensible.”

Of course, the judge countered that Collins should have reported the harassment and the latest incident instead of choosing to “strike someone causing serious bodily injury resulting in death.”

Now, there are a lot of [mostly white] people who would be inclined to agree with Judge Ryan that Collins should have simply called the police. Those people have likely never had the experience of dealing with white racism and the useless police officers who do absolutely nothing about it, which is why other [likely Black] people would argue that sometimes a racist f**ks around and finds out—and sometimes it’s the last thing they do.

In May’s case, the last thing he actually did was refuse medical attention that may have very well saved his life. After all, he didn’t actually die until nearly two weeks after the encounter.

From APP:

May was treated at the scene but refused additional medical assistance. He went home and began to behave in a way that suggested the blow to his head may have been far more serious than anyone initially realized.

About an hour after the incident, Seaside Heights Police were called to his residence and the Tri-Boro First Aid Squad took him by ambulance to Community Medical Center in Toms River, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

May’s condition continued to deteriorate. He was transferred to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick a short time later but his health worsened and he died on Oct. 1.

So, maybe the racist died from a well-deserved punch to the face. Or maybe — just maybe — it was his own stubbornness that killed him. Either way, the court has decided Collins is going to have to pay the price, albeit a relatively minimal price considering the plea agreement resulted in him getting a lighter sentence than guidelines call for the charge he pleaded guilty to.

“Certain proof problems in this case resulted in the state entering into a plea agreement calling for a sentence that is below the normal sentencing range for manslaughter,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said in a statement after the sentencing. “The victim’s family was cognizant of those issues and supported this resolution. I commend them for their understanding and forgiving nature.” (I know what you’re thinking, but when Billhimer said “the victim’s family,” he was referring to May’s family, and the term “victim” is being used in a very technical sense whereas, in reality—nah, he was no victim.)

This case is reminiscent of that of former Tampa, Florida, Dunkin’ Donuts employee Corey Pujols, who, in 2022, pleaded guilty to felony battery for throwing the punch that killed 77-year-old Vonelle Cook, a regular customer at the donut chain, who got himself all in a tizzy while trying to order coffee from the drive-thru. In that incident, which took place in 2021, Cook made the decision to park his car, enter the restaurant and begin harassing the employees, who had said they had trouble hearing him when he was in the drive-thru.

From our previous report:

Corey Pujols, who was an employee of Dunkin’, urged his co-workers to call the police, but the altercation continued to escalate. Cook continued his verbal tirade towards Pujols and his co-workers eventually calling Pujols the n-word.

Pujols immediately took offense and warned Cook not to use the disgusting word again.

When angry white men are asked not to say the n-word, we all know what happens next.

Cook defiantly called Pujols the n-word a second time, completely set him off. Pujols reached over and punched Cook square in the jaw knocking him off his feet. The punch resulted in Cook hitting his head on the floor with nothing to support his fall. Three days later he was pronounced dead.

Like Collins, Pujols was originally charged with manslaughter, but charges were reduced to felony battery after prosecutors took into account that Cook was an angry, white racist who refused to comply with employees’ demands that he leave the premises. In the end, Pujols was sentenced to two years of house arrest and three years of probation.

As for Collins, a lot of people are understandably outraged that he should even spend a single day in prison just for permanently taking a racist who harassed his family off the streets. Some are even calling on New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to pardon him.

I call on @GovMurphy to pardon Anthony Collins as soon as possible, also granting him reprieve from any fine issued him by the State for this “offense.”
A man commits an assault in defense of his family and is sentenced for murder?! Where is the justice?!? #PardonAnthonyCollins https://t.co/A0jmfybYX5

— Christopher Granholm Jr (@CDGranholmJr) August 13, 2024

 

SEE ALSO:

Justice For Ta’Kiya Young: Connor Grubb Is 2nd White Cop Charged With Murdering Black Woman In 2 Months

White Woman Who Killed Ajike Owens Gets All-White Jury, As Manslaughter Trial Begins

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