Suspects Charged With Ethnic Intimidation In Bar Attack Head To Court
Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter
AVALON (KDKA) -- Back in July, Paul Morris says he was beaten by members of a group describe as a white nationalist organization in an Avalon bar.
On Friday, Morris arrived in court looking for justice.
"Just justice that all the facts in the case are looked at, and willing to move on from there," said Morris.
Accused alleged white nationalists, Jeremy Ingram and Natasha Bowers, showed up Friday morning to face assault and ethnic intimidation charges in court; as did fellow defendant, James Kryl.
All are accused in an unprovoked racial attack, each allegedly wearing a Keystone State skinhead tee-shirt, jumping Morris in the backroom of the Jackman Inn, and beating and kicking him in a melee.
But, outside court, Kryl's attorney claimed his client is the victim.
"What happened was, my client is the one who got hit first, and I have four witnesses that will corroborate that. Unfortunately, they're the people that were arrested, but that's what happened," attorney Michael Foglia said.
But Morris has a different version.
He says, sensing danger that night, he tried to leave through a door when he was attacked from behind. It's something the bartender that night says she also witnessed.
KDKA's Andy Sheehan: "Do you know who started it?"
Bartender: "That, I'm going to say was one of them, because I seen a fist come around Paul's face, and hit him in the face, and Paul was trying to come in the door."
But, unfortunately, nobody testified Friday, and the judge had to continued the hearing since only Kryl had a lawyer.
Sheehan: "Mr. Kryl are you a skinhead?"
Kryl: "No."
Sheehan: "Are you a white supremacist?"
Kryl: "No."
Sheehan: "Did you call Mr. Morris [a racial slur]."
Kryl: "No."
Sheehan: "Why were you wearing a skinhead tee-shirt if you're not a skinhead?"
[No answer]
The defendants will return to the courtroom next month.
