Man charged with hate crime in alleged 2-by-4 attack on Black neighbor

A Newark man accused of attacking his neighbor with a 2-by-4 while using racial slurs is now facing a hate crime charge, following months of calls from the victim and his family for the case to be prosecuted as such. Brandon Watt, 39, pleaded not guilty Tuesday after a Wayne County grand jury indicted him on charges including second-degree assault as a hate crime and harassment. Prosecutors said Watt targeted his neighbor, Johnny White, in the weeks leading up to the June 23 attack, repeatedly using racial slurs and making threats toward him. Watt ultimately attacked White, who is Black, with a 2-by-4, leaving him with serious injuries, including fractures to his nose, jaw and orbital bone, police said. "It's been a heck of a burn, stressful mentally, physically, in every way possible," White said after court Tuesday. "But thanks to God, my mother, my family, my wife — I'm standing strong." White, now 71, said he never expected the alleged harassment to escalate into violence. "When he saw me, it was always addressed to me, the only Black person there," White said. "I never thought in my life that it would go to this level. Otherwise, I never would have turned my back." White's family filled the courtroom Tuesday to support him as he faced his alleged attacker. "It was serious, and for this guy that don't know my brother, why would you do something like that?" said White's sister, Donna. "My brother don't even know you. My brother don't speak evil. He's about peace." Watt was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs and is being held on $25,000 cash bail. READ MORE: https://13wham.com/news/local/newark-... _______________ Stay up to date with our social media: 13 WHAM on Facebook:   / 13wham   13 WHAM on Twitter:   / 13wham   13WHAM on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/13whamtv/?h... 13WHAM on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@13wham?lang=en 13 WHAM Daily Local News Digest:    • 13WHAM Local News Digest   For more information, visit https://13wham.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: news@13wham.com Call the Newsroom: (585) 334-8700 WHAM is a NY based station and a ABC Television affiliate owned and operated by Deerfield Media, Inc and receives certain services from an affiliation of Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. #13WHAM #News #Rochester #NewYork