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 Conrad Alvin Barrett, 27, is suspected of striking the 79-year-old
victim with a single blow that fractured his jaw in two places,
according to the criminal complaint filed in federal court in
Houston.
"Barrett is a danger to the community. He stalked his victim," U.S.
Magistrate Judge Frances H. Stacy said in court records on Friday,
calling the attack vicious.
Barrett was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2004 and has been
treated with lithium and an anti-depressant, his lawyer George
Parnham said, noting that his client also has a history of substance
and alcohol abuse.
"He was not taking his prescribed medications on the day of the
incident," Parnham said.
Prosecutors said Barrett made the video for a "knockout game" where
attackers try to knock out a person with a single punch and then
post a video of the assault on the Internet.
As the victim lay on the pavement, Barrett laughed, yelled
"Knockout, baby!" and ran to his vehicle to flee the scene, the
complaint said.
Later Barrett showed the video to an off-duty arson investigator he
met by chance in a restaurant, who then notified authorities and had
Barrett arrested, according to the court documents.
The video does not show Barrett's face, but prosecutors matched his
voice to the voice heard in the video and the off-duty investigator
told authorities that Barrett was wearing the same clothing as the
person who filmed the video.
The Nov. 24 attack in Katy, Texas, 30 miles west of Houston, was
carried out "because of the man's race and color," according to the
complaint. "It is unimaginable in this day and age that one could be drawn to
violently attack another based on the color of their skin," said FBI
Special Agent in Charge Stephen Morris, from the bureau's Houston
office.
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The victim underwent surgery to remove three teeth and have two
metal plates inserted in his jaw. He was hospitalized for four days.
Investigators said Barrett recorded himself making racially charged
statements on his phone, including one where he is alleged to have
said: "The plan is to see if I were to hit a black person, would
this be nationally televised?"
Barrett's parents expressed remorse in court today for their son's
actions, but that they fear retaliation from the community after
receiving anonymous threatening phone calls, Parnham said.
"They feel very sorry for what occurred, not only for their son, but
also the elderly gentleman involved," he said.
Barrett was previously convicted for driving while intoxicated and
stealing a vehicle. If convicted of the hate crime, Barrett faces a
maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
(Reporting by Lisa Maria Garza in Dallas;
editing by Jon Herskovitz
and Gunna Dickson)
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