NJ man caught in viral video using racist slur to stay in jail pending trial – NBC New York

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What You Should Know On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Terrence Cook ruled that Edward C. Mathews would remain in jail pending trial. Mathews, 45, was arrested on charges of harassment and other charges after he was caught on camera shouting racist slurs at his neighbors. Mathews’ next court date is August.

A white man captured on video shouting racist slurs against his black neighbors in New Jersey and later arrested on harassment charges and more than a dozen other charges will remain in jail pending trial, a judge said on Wednesday.

Edward C. Mathews, 45, of Mount Laurel, who stood silently from Burlington County Jail during a remote detention hearing, poses a high risk of danger to the community, the judge said on Wednesday. Superior Court Terrence Cook.

Wednesday’s hearing marked the first time Mathews has appeared in court on charges stemming from interactions in early July with his neighbors at their housing complex in Mount Laurel. He was standing in a county jail meeting room during the proceedings, dressed in orange with his arms behind him.

Prosecutors charged Mathews with 14 counts, including harassment, criminal harassment and weapons. Assistant District Attorney Jamie Hutchinson said on Wednesday Mathews began harassing members of the homeowners association board, who were all colored, more than a year ago, including breaking windows in a nearby vehicle with a rock and coating their car with feces.

Hutchinson also said the FBI determined that the handwriting on a note to a neighbor matched that of Mathews. The note came amid Mathews’ disagreement with black homeowners association board members and after a former board member he lobbied moved out, according to Hutchinson. The note said there were only a few minutes left to go, the prosecutor said.

Mathews’ attorney Anthony Rizzo objected to evidence obtained under an extreme risk protection order, saying it was flawed because Mathews posed no risk at the time as he was already in prison. He also argued that prosecutors’ inclusion of 1990s and early 2000s medical records and criminal histories was too far away to be considered.

The case made headlines when a video showing Mathews using racist slurs against his black neighbors appeared online. In the video, Mathews is seen urging people watching to come to his house. This led, according to authorities, to more than 100 protesters, some of whom waved Black Lives Matter flags.

Police charge documents say the confrontation occurred after Mathews knocked on his neighbors’ door demanding to see the husband, who is black. His wife, who is white, called the police and another neighbor ran into Mathews on the front steps and the driveway to the neighbors’ house to help them deal with Mathews.

A New Jersey man who police say was filmed harassing, threatening and shouting racial slurs against his neighbors has been taken back to custody to face additional charges after community members manifested in front of his home.

This was the second call police received on Friday about Mathews, according to the documents.

A black woman from the neighborhood called police earlier saying Mathews was harassing her, approaching her front door and shouting racial slurs, prosecutors said. She had previously told police that she suspected Mathews of criminal mischief involving his car.

Doorbell camera captures Mathews bringing his dogs into his front yard, repeating a racial insult and squeezing his hips in a vulgar manner after police responded and spoke to him, prosecutors said.

Hutchinson said on Wednesday Mathews behaved the same with another neighbor who later left the housing complex, which he hinted in videos posted online.

The judges’ decision ran counter to a computer-generated assessment that indicated Mathews could be released from prison, but Cook said he also took into consideration that Mathews had 20 previous convictions. He also said he took other factors into account, including derogatory racist language.

The next hearing date is set for August.

A day after a New Jersey man who was filmed harassing and yelling racial slurs at neighbors was arrested, some wonder why he hadn’t been arrested sooner as residents complained from him for years. NBC10’s Cydney Long has the details.

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