5 white men accused in alleged racial attack
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Five white men were ordered to stand trial in Western Pennsylvania in what prosecutors allege was a racially motivated attack on a black man allegedly thrown onto tracks at a Pittsburgh commuter rail station.
Prosecutors allege 21-year-old Ryan Kyle threw Kevin Lockett onto the tracks and Lockett was beaten in the May 30 encounter with the five men. Kyle was charged in Allegheny County with attempted murder. He and the others were also ordered Tuesday to stand trial on charges including reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and aggravated assault.
Lockett told police he was carrying a blue cooler when he got on the trolley near PNC Park and heard racial slurs before attempting to depart, but he had to stay on until the next stop because his exit was blocked by a crowd leaving a Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field.
He said after he got off the train, the five men jumped him and he was thrown onto the tracks, but managed to get back onto the platform. He said he was then beaten and his cooler of beer and food was stolen.
However, he testified Tuesday he could not recall most of what happened without viewing surveillance video, and he was unable to identify any of his alleged attackers.
Surveillance video shown by a prosecutor shows Lockett being punched eight to 10 times by one man and the group then leaving, one member carrying the victim’s cooler.
Defense attorneys argued for dismissal of some counts. Prosecutors argued all five defendants were “compliant” in the attack.
District Judge Oscar J. Petite Jr. said all charges against Kyle and another defendant would stand but the judge dismissed counts including ethnic intimidation, conspiracy, robbery and aggravated assault against some of the other defendants.