Charmayne Brown, Black Reporter, Attacked On Camera By White Family In SC

From the AP:

Three people upset that a news crew was reporting on the arrest of a relative attacked the television reporter and yelled racial slurs at her and a photographer, authorities said Tuesday.

The family members, all white, began yelling and charged at black WSPA-TV reporter Charmayne Brown while she was standing in the street near the family's home in Union, said news director Alex Bongiorno.

Brown was punched in the head, and black cameraman Ti Barnes was also struck as he tried to pull family members off Brown, Bongiorno said. A video of the attack shows Brown, who wasn't seriously injured, defending herself.

"I think she's more affected by the verbal abuse than the physical abuse. She's really shaken up," Bongiorno said.

The fight was taped by a white crew from a second television station. They were not attacked.

Tousha Smith, 31, Billie Joe Taylor, 31, and Trina Vinson, 48, were being held at a Union jail Tuesday evening on assault and battery charges, authorities said. South Carolina has no law allowing a hate crime charge.

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Attempts to contact the family were unsuccessful; messages left at several numbers were not immediately returned, and authorities said they weren't sure whether the three had attorneys.

Charges are pending against a fourth person, authorities said. The reporter and photographer were not charged.

Brown was reporting on the death of 73-year-old Tommy Howell, who was killed by a blow to the head after an argument, authorities said. His body was found Tuesday in his home. Police arrested his grandson, Shane Howell, and charged him with murder, Union Police Chief Sam White said.

Shane Howell remains in jail, and it is unclear whether he has an attorney.

"These people were very upset," White said. "I guess they just took it out the wrong way."

Comments

[Joan15]

Yep, I guess these reporters sure feel "lucky" to be where they are right now. Wake up Hillary, wake up Ms. Ferraro...­if our poilticians, in a run for PRESIDENT can't curb racism in their own comments, how can we expect any more from the citizens. Ms. Ferarros' comments and Ms. Clintons. weak response is a disservice to minorites across the nation --including women.

[jbeach]

The original teenage murder suspect was arrested for murdering a 70-year-old man.

His family here seems to be showing the exact same patterns of behavior they probably grafted onto him: don't think, just get angry and attack someone helpless who has absolutely nothing to do with your pain.

And only attack them when they're *completely* helpless - wait until the camera guy is putting his gear away in the car, and the woman reporter is all alone.

Thanks for embarassing all white people, you f***ing idiots. Well, that's the truth, tho - there really are people this messed-up out there, and they're not all men as we can see. So, while it's terrible this happened, at least it was caught on camera so more people will be forced to pay attention to this reality.

[StuCop]

my comment keeps getting blocked so i'll try again...

i think the reporter was not so passive in this incident..­.if you watch at 1:37 of the clip you see her being pulled from the fray by her camera man...only to run around him and aggressively attack another person.

she's not running away or fleeing the fray...she­'s attacking.

[urfree2speak]

Well...Rev Rick...you get the Big Amen award.....­.you are DEAD ON! It is beyound disbelief to see how the poloraization of the RACES are slowly ..slowly..­.......dri­fting downward to pits of us vs them .the Democractic Party is standing on the edge of division..­.....

[EinChicago]

It's a good thing race won't be an issue in Novemeber and is a thing of teh past so that Obama is electable.­...

[buckdenton]

People are very ignorant. What is most disturbing and frustrating is the fact that most people do not even know their ignorant. They are prisoners of social constructs. When people discriminate or behave racist they are mimicking what was taught to them, which represents the struggle to hold back minorities like blacks or homosexuals. It is a complex scam and a disease. People really do reap what they sow and these people that attacked this woman ooze with ignorance.

[MajorKong]

Very classy those South Carolinians. I guess that reporter didn't "know her place" as they like to say down there.

[happytrails]

Oh my! How would these people ever deal with having a BLACK President? Just more proof to them of the fact that they really ARE on the bottom of the pile and deserve to be there.

[soot]

Look at that fat trailer trash run after her. What the hell is wrong with these people? Animals.

[Virago55]

What the hell was that all about? Did I hear banjos playing in the background? Billy Joe Jim Bob's sisters shore noes how ta throes a punch. Can you spell white trash?

[igiveup]

This just in from Geraldine Ferarro:

"If they hadn't been black, they never would have gotten jobs as TV reporters!"

[phytolacca]

Yes officer they were a little upset, and a lot racist. But thank god the white camera crew was there to film the whole thing. Too bad a spanish camera crew wasn't there, the whole thing could have been a bad Anchorman parody.

[StuCop]

i think the reporter was equally involved in the fight...if you look at 1:37 of the clip...she gets pulled out of the fray by her camera man...but instead of backing away or fleeing the fight she runs around her camera man and attacks someone...­not a defensive blow but rather aggressively seeks confrontation and aggressively attacks...

seems the whole story is not being told.

[RickO]

Didn't I recently hear of some casting director looking for people with "that inbred look" ? There your go, three good mugs for you.

[Rmchairphilo]

Lovely, salt of the earth people. First they kill Grandpa by bashing his head in, then attack a reporter for having the audacity to report on their crime. Just lock them up and throw the key away.