Security camera footage shows alleged racially motivated attack at Mystic hotel
The attorney for a Black female hotel clerk who was attacked last Friday morning by a white couple who allegedly uttered racial slurs has released a video showing the assault.
The video, captured by surveillance cameras at the Quality Inn in Mystic, shows 59-year-old Crystal Caldwell, who works at the hotel's front desk, being pushed, punched and kicked by the New York couple who were guests at the hotel.
"For anyone who sees this video, there won't be a question in their mind that this was an absolutely heinous attack," said Caldwell's attorney, M. John Strafaci of New London.
Since the attack, Strafaci said members of Caldwell's family have received several messages on Facebook from the alleged attackers, repeatedly calling them "monkey" and saying "You are a low life Black person whose life doesn't matter."
Strafaci said he, Caldwell and members of her family met again with Stonington police Thursday morning and provided police with copies of the messages.
"We want to make sure police have as much evidence and information as possible," he said.
Stonington police have said they are in the process of obtaining a warrant for the arrest of the man and woman that would allow for them to be extradited to face assault and possibly other charges. Their names have not been released.
Caldwell has said the couple called her an "old monkey" and told her "Black Lives Matter? Your life doesn’t matter, you don’t deserve to live on this earth," while beating her. There is no audio with the video. Caldwell suffered a concussion, a swollen face and a badly injured right eye, along with injuries to her wrists and ribs and back.
“We must stand united against racism, and we stand united with Crystal Caldwell. The individuals who allegedly attacked Crystal Caldwell while shouting racial slurs must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Justice must be served. As a community, we must raise our voices and say ‘No more. Not here. Not anywhere,'" state Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, who represents Stonington, said in a statement.
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