riverboat captain interview

US Edition Change

• US election 2024
• US Politics
• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Rugby Union
• Sports Videos
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Lifestyle Videos
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Inspiration
• City Guides
• Sustainable Travel
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Home & Garden
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Electric vehicles
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Alabama dockside brawl was racially motivated, riverboat captain says

The harriott ii riverboat captain defends deckhand who was assaulted by pontoon boat owners who refused to move, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the us, thanks for signing up to the evening headlines email.

A boat captain at the centre of the viral dockside brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, has said he believes the attack on his colleague that launched the melee was racially motivated.

Capt Jim Kittrell was trying to dock the Harriott II riverboat on Saturday when he was stopped by a pontoon boat parked where his vessel was meant to come in.

After 45 minutes of waiting, he sent his deckhand Damian Pickett, who is Black, to shore to ask the pontoon boat’s owners, who are white, to move - but the request was not well received. Viral video captured the owners punching Mr Pickett before an all-out brawl ensued - largely along racial lines.

Three men are now facing charges over the incident - though police say they did not find enough evidence to support hate crime charges.

Mr Kittrell disagreed with that finding as he spoke out about the ordeal for the first time in an interview with the Daily Beast .

“The white guys that attacked my deckhand—and he was a senior deckhand first mate—I can’t think of any other reason they attacked him other than it being racially motivated,” he said.

• Three white men facing charges in Alabama riverboat brawl are identified as police share detailed account

At the time of the incident, Mr Kittrell was transporting 227 passengers on the Harriot II, a riverboat that provides two-hour cruises up and down the Alabama River.

Upon reaching the end of this particular trip, the boat became stuck yards away from the dock for almost an hour because the pontoon boat owners reportedly ignored repeated requests to move.

“This whole thing is just because these guys were being assholes,” Mr Kittrell said. “I was nice as a peach when I was talking to them at first: ‘Please, help me out here, fellas. Move the boat up a little bit.’”

Mr Kittrell told the Daily Beast that he only needed “two or three feet” to navigate the Harriott II to the dock safely. However, the pontoon boat owners, who Mr Kittrell said were obviously intoxicated, continued to not comply with the requests, so the captain was forced to call 911.

When Mr Pickett reached the dock in a smaller vessell, he lightly pushed the pontoon boat forward by a few feet, moving it from the riverboat’s space. Chaos ensued.

The viral footage captures the next few minutes of the exchange, in which Mr Pickett, a Black man, is punched by one of the pontoon boat owners, a white man.

Other people from the pontoon boat, all of whom are white, joined in the fray, assaulting both Mr Pickett and the 16-year-old boy who had taken Mr Pickett to the dock in the smaller vessel, police said.

Three people on the pontoon are facing assault charges , the police chief said. Police identified them as Richard Roberts, 48, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25. Although police considered pressing hate crimes, they did not find enough evidence to support such charges, Police Chief Darryl Albert explained.

Explaining why he thinks that finding is incorrect, Mr Kittrell said: “All [Mr Pickett] did was move their boat up three feet. It makes no sense to have six people try to beat the snot out of you just because you moved their boat up a few feet. In my opinion, the attack on Damien was racially motivated.”

Beyond the initial exchange, Mr Kittrell conceded that the rest of the fight “was not Black and white.”

“It was just shipmates trying to help a shipmate,” the captain said. “They could’ve been little green men, for all they cared. When they attacked Damien, my crew was gonna jump out and do the best they could to help him out. It was my crew against the people who attacked their shipmate, that’s all it was.”

Chief Albert explicitly said that the people aboard the pontoon boat were not local to Montgomery. “This is not indicative of who we are as a city. We are much better than that,” he said.

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Want an ad-free experience?

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre

• The Daily Detail
• 1819 News: The Podcast
• Alabama Unfiltered
• This Alabama Life
• Become a member
• Become a Member
• Search 1819 News
• Alabama Unfiltered Radio
• Create account Sign in

Montgomery Riverboat captain speaks on Saturday brawl – 'This was not a black and white thing'

The vessel's captain at the center of the recent Riverfront Brawl in Montgomery has now given his side of the story that has grabbed national headlines.

On Saturday, police responded to a call regarding a disturbance in the Riverfront Park. While several people were detained, no arrests have been made. Mayor Steven Reed announced a press conference for Tuesday at 1 p.m. for further updates.

In a surprise call-in to 93.1 "News & Views with Joey Clark," Jim Kittrell, captain of the Harriott II – a famous riverboat that traverses the Alabama River, spoke about Saturday night's brawl from his perspective.

According to Kittrell, he was pulling the Harriott II into the dock when he noticed a pontoon boat partially blocking the way to the disembarkation ramp. He asked the boat's passengers over his PA system to move the boat "about five times."

After threatening to call the police for their refusal to move the boat, he also offered that police would see the alcohol on the pontoon boat should they be called out.

"They started shooting birds at us, so I called the police," Kittrell said.

After waiting some time, the owners reportedly left, leaving the boat blocking the entrance. Kittrell then asked another pedalboat captain to use the smaller craft to ferry Kittrell's senior deckhand to move the boat.

"[I]n the boating world, it's common if you have to move somebody's boat, it's nothing to get upset about," Kittrell said. "You know, you have to move a boat sometimes."…After they moved it, those guys came running back. They must have still been in the park or up in the gazebo or something."

SEE ALSO: Mayor Steven Reed, political opponent Barrett Gilbreath react to Montgomery Riverfront brawl: 'Justice will be served'

"We're 40 yards or 30 yards away from the dock watching all of this. There's nothing we can do. About that time, another guy comes running up. And, within a minute or so, it was an all-out brawl. And then I saw some more guys coming, and I said, 'Oh. Thank God. They're going to break it up.' But instead of breaking it up, they jumped on him too. So, at one time, it was like six, seven guys on my deckhand that was trying to move the boat."

Kittrell said 15 minutes after his call, around 15 police officers showed up at the scene. After which, his deckhand motioned the Harriott II to dock.

"As soon as the boat hits the dock, some of my crew, who saw my first-mate Damian being attacked, felt they had to retaliate. Which was unfortunate. I wish we could have stopped that from happening, but when you see something like that, and it was difficult. It was difficult for me to sit there in the wheelhouse, watching him being attacked. And the whole time I'm on the PA, 'Stop. Stop.' You know? 'The police are here. Stop.' But it wasn't even stopping them. So, once we get to the dock, that's when the little bit of the melee started and finally the police got control of it. I'm just so thankful that nobody had a weapon."

Kittrell said that this group with which his crew engaged had a history of causing problems on the Riverfront. Due to the original melee involving several white people attacking the black deckhand, some have speculated the brawl may have been racially motivated. Kittrell said, without being asked by the host, that there was no racial component to the event.   

"One point I do want to make, this was not a black and white thing," Kittrell explained. "I had every single white crew member male on the boat was on the dock. This was our crew upset about these idiots. This is the same group that comes every year. They're from Selma. And, we've had trouble with them in the past, but just like jokey things. Like, a couple of years ago, this same group was here. We came back from a cruise and our golf cart was missing. …we finally found it in the Hampton Inn lobby. We looked at the Hampton Inn video. Found out who did it and we had them come down. We were going to press charges then, but the police talked us out of it."

He continued, "We just don't want this thing to get out of control as being a black-and-white thing, that's not the case at all. It was shipmates that were trying to take up for their hurt crew member."

Kittrell said several of the crew are pressing charges.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected] .

 Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.

• Riverfront Brawl
• Alabama News
• Harriott II

Featured Local Savings

Riverboat Captain: Wild Dockside Attack on My Deckhand WAS Racially Motivated

“It makes no sense to have six people try to beat the snot out of you just because you moved their boat up a few feet,” Harriott II skipper Jim Kittrell told The Daily Beast.

Justin Rohrlich

Racism was at the heart of a dockside melee in Alabama that went viral over the weekend, according to the captain of the vessel whose Black crewman was attacked by a clutch of allegedly intoxicated white pleasure boaters.

“This whole thing is just because these guys were being assholes,” Capt. Jim Kittrell told The Daily Beast in an interview on Tuesday. “I was nice as a peach when I was talking to them at first: ‘Please, help me out here, fellas. Move the boat up a little bit.’”

The fracas began on Saturday evening when Kittrell found a pontoon boat docked in the spot reserved for the sightseeing riverboat Harriott II. He asked the boat’s owners over his PA system to move but was ignored, according to police. So Kittrell said a friend of his brought a smaller craft out to the Harriott II so a senior deckhand could go ashore and clear the way for the larger vessel, carrying 227 passengers, to dock. Kittrell said he only needed “two or three feet” to maneuver the Harriott II in safely, but after the clearly intoxicated people on the pontoon boat continued to simply disregard him, he had no choice but to call 911.

When Kittrell’s deckhand, Damien Pickett, got to the dock, he carefully pushed the pontoon boat forward by a few feet, so Harriott II could disgorge its passengers. Bystander video showed Pickett, who is Black, trying to reason with the pontoon boaters, who were white. Suddenly, a young white man rushed Pickett and punched him in the face. Other white men and women from the pontoon boat quickly jumped in, assaulting both Pickett and the 16-year-old boy who had taken Pickett ashore, police said Tuesday. (The teen is a deckhand trainee, and the only white member of the Harriott II’s crew, Kittrell said.)

Seeing his outnumbered shipmate being pummeled, one of Pickett’s colleagues—a teenager now known affectionately online as Black Aquaman—swam in to help; several others came to his aid once Harriott II tied up. At this point, the dynamic shifted and the ones who initially brutalized Pickett soon found themselves overpowered in an all-out brawl that appeared to be divided along racial lines.

Three of Pickett’s attackers—Richard Roberts, 48, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25— now have warrants out for their arrest for third-degree assault, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said Tuesday. Reggie Gray, a 42-year-old Black man seen walloping some of Pickett’s attackers with a folding chair, was also wanted for further questioning. While Albert said investigators did not find enough evidence to substantiate hate crime charges, Kittrell believes otherwise.

“The white guys that attacked my deckhand—and he was a senior deckhand first mate—I can’t think of any other reason they attacked him other than it being racially motivated,” Kittrell said. “All he did was move their boat up three feet. It makes no sense to have six people try to beat the snot out of you just because you moved their boat up a few feet. In my opinion, the attack on Damien was racially motivated.”

The rest of the fight, however, “was not Black and white,” according to Kittrell.

“It was just shipmates trying to help a shipmate,” he said. “They could’ve been little green men, for all they cared. When they attacked Damien, my crew was gonna jump out and do the best they could to help him out. It was my crew against the people who attacked their shipmate, that’s all it was.”

Kittrell described any ship’s crew as more of a brotherhood than that of a typical work relationship. He said he has known Pickett for 10 years, setting off on voyages together that are sometimes several days long. They have grown to care deeply about each other, as have the rest of the crewmen, Kittrell said.

At the same time, Pickett is over 40, diabetic, and has hypertension, according to Kittrell.

“He’s not someone who wants to be out there throwing fists,” he went on. “He shouldn’t be. It got me really mad, sitting up there in the wheelhouse knowing there was nothing I could do. I didn’t see it coming; on the boat, I’m three floors up. The whole time, I’m yelling on the PA, ‘Stop! Somebody help!’ It was all I could do.”

The three men facing charges over the attack on Pickett were not familiar to Kittrell, he said. However, he said he recognized them as part of a group of seven or eight pontoon boat owners who travel from Selma to Montgomery each year.

Boaters “tend to be happy and friendly people, they’re normally not a problem,” Kittrell said. This particular set, conversely, has previously caused trouble, he went on, blaming them for once having stolen a golf cart the Harriott II used to transport disabled passengers between the ferry and the parking lot.

But, said Kittrell, “Stealing the golf cart was a joke, a prank. There’s never been any kind of serious trouble like this.”

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast  here .

READ THIS LIST

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• CA Privacy Notice

Montgomery Riverboat Captain Says Brawl Was ‘Racially Motivated’: ‘The White Guys That Attacked…I Can’t Think Of Any Other Reason’

The captain of the Harriott II riverboat that docks at Riverfront Park in Montgomery , Alabama, aka the scene of the viral “Montgomery Brawl,” is convinced that racism was the root of the incident.

As Blavity previously reported, footage of multiple fights that erupted over the weekend at a dock in defense of Damien Pickett, a Black dock worker (Pickett was originally said to be a security guard) who was attacked by a group of white men for doing his job: telling them to move their boat so the riverboat could dock. After witnessing the unjust attack, fellow Black bystanders and the victim’s co-worker came to his aide, which transpired into an outbreak of physical altercations. The viral videos that onlookers captured received mostly positive feedback from the public who was proud to see the Black community unite to combat a violent ambush.

These white people jumped this black security guard at the Riverfront. The staff got off the boat and it turned into WWE Smackdown. I’m so proud of Montgomery 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/4DG5bShXfz — Housatlantavegas (@_dreadadon) August 6, 2023

On Tuesday, Captain Jim Kittrell, a white man, told The Daily Beast that the alleged men who jumped his deckhand were allegedly under the influence and weren’t complying with the rules. He noted that he familiar with the group of white boaters as they are regulars who ride their boats from Selma to Montgomery annually.

“This whole thing is just because these guys were being assholes,” he said in the interview. “I was nice as a peach when I was talking to them at first: ‘Please, help me out here, fellas. Move the boat up a little bit.'”

Although this wasn’t the assaulters first time causing some swirl, they had never started drama of that magnitude according to the captain.

“This particular set, conversely, has previously caused trouble,” he added, blaming them for once having stolen a golf cart the Harriott II used to transport disabled passengers between the ferry and the parking lot.

The altercation began because the suspects docked their boat in a prohibited area reserved for the sightseeing boat to load and drop off passengers.

“The white guys that attacked my deckhand—and he was a senior deckhand first mate—I can’t think of any other reason they attacked him other than it being racially motivated,” Kittrell said. “All he did was move their boat up three feet. It makes no sense to have six people try to beat the snot out of you just because you moved their boat up a few feet. In my opinion, the attack on Damien was racially motivated.”

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said three of the white men, Richard Roberts, 48, Allen Todd, 23, and Zachary Shipman, 25, have been charged for third-degree assault. The investigation is still underway.

Recommended Stories

The fdic change that leaves wealthy bank depositors with less protection.

Affluent Americans may want to double-check how much of their bank deposits are protected by government-backed insurance. The rules governing trust accounts just changed.

Former NBA guard Darius Morris dies at 33

Former NBA guard Darius Morris has died at the age of 33. He played for five teams during his four NBA seasons. Morris played college basketball at Michigan.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch calls Jamal Murray's heat-pack toss on court 'inexcusable and dangerous'

Murray made a bad night on the court worse during a moment of frustration on the bench.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan says he’s not voting for Trump : 'Character is too important'

Ryan says he would be writing in a Republican candidate instead of voting for Donald Trump.

Nuggets star Nikola Jokić wins third NBA MVP in four seasons, placing him alongside all-time greats

Nikola Jokić joins a short list of the game's all-time greats after securing his third MVP.

Cardinals lose C Willson Contreras after left arm fractured by J.D. Martinez's swing

The Cardinals' nightmare season continues.

Ranking the best situations for the rookie quarterbacks: Start with Michael Penix in Atlanta at No. 1

It’s key to note that we’re not saying the “best team” or “best roster.” Instead, we’re talking about the best confluence of factors that can outline a path for survival and then success.

These 3 stocks are poised to benefit from the massive energy transition

The energy transition will benefit companies providing electrical needs for surging demand. Analysts point to these three stocks as a Buy.

Blockbuster May trade by Padres, MVP Ohtani has arrived, Willie Mays’ 93rd birthday & weekend recap

Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman discuss the Padres-Marlins trade that sent Luis Arraez to San Diego, as well as recap all the action from this weekend in baseball and send birthday wishes to hall-of-famer Willie Mays.

Heat's Pat Riley unhappy with Jimmy Butler's remarks on Celtics and Knicks, implies he needs to play more

Miami Heat president Pat Riley rebuked comments Jimmy Butler made about the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, while also implying that his star needs to play more.

Phil Mickelson on the majors: 'What if none of the LIV players played?'

Phil Mickelson hints that big changes could be coming to LIV Golf's rosters, and the majors will need to pay attention.

Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: Buy into a pair of Astros sluggers

Fantasy baseball analyst Fred Zinkie offers up his top buy low/high and sell low-high candidates for Week 6.

2024 NFL Team Fantasy Football Power Rankings, 1.0

With NFL rosters pretty much set before training camp, Scott Pianowski reveals his first set of team fantasy power rankings for the 2024 season.

Social Security just passed Medicare as the government's most pressing insolvency risk

An annual government report offered a glimmer of good news for Social Security and a jolt of good news for Medicare even as both programs continue to be on pace to run dry next decade.

NBA fines Nuggets G Jamal Murray $100K for tossing heat pack, towel on court vs. Timberwolves; no suspension

Murray tossed a heat pad onto the court during gameplay vs. the Timberwolves.

NBA playoffs: Officials admit they flubbed critical kick-ball call in controversial final minute of Pacers-Knicks

Tuesday's last-2-minute report should be interesting.

The best budgeting apps for 2024

Budgeting apps can help you keep track of your finances, stick to a spending plan and reach your money goals. These are the best budget-tracking apps available right now.

The Scorecard: Andy Pages looks set to go down as one of the best fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups of 2024

Fantasy baseball analyst Dalton Del Don delivers his latest batch of hot takes as we enter Week 6 of the season.

Ex-Ole Miss QB and Denver Broncos draft pick Chad Kelly suspended at least nine games by CFL

Kelly allegedly harassed a female strength and conditioning coach who sued him and the Toronto Argonauts in February.

Fed’s Kashkari: Rates will stay high for 'extended period' and can't rule out a hike

Minneapolis Fed president Neel Kashkari said interest rates will likely stay at current levels for an "extended period" and didn't rule out a hike if inflation stalls near 3%.

Alabama Boat Co-Captain Describes Montgomery Brawl: I 'Just Held On For Dear Life'

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama boat co-captain was hanging on “for dear life” as men punched and tackled him on the capital city’s riverfront, he told police after video of the brawl circulated widely online.

Dameion Pickett, a crew member of the Harriott II in Montgomery, described the brawl in a handwritten statement to authorities included in court documents, saying he was attacked after moving a pontoon boat a few feet so the city-owned riverboat could dock.

Four white boaters have been charged with misdemeanor assault in the attack against Pickett, who is Black, as well as a teen deckhand, who was punched and is white. The deckhand’s mother heard a racial slur before Pickett was hit, she wrote in a statement.

A fifth person, a Black man who appeared to be hitting people with a folding chair during the subsequent fight, has been charged with disorderly conduct, police announced Friday.

Video of the melee sparked scores of memes and video reenactments.

Pickett told police that the captain had asked a group on a pontoon boat “at least five or six times” to move from the riverboat’s designated docking space but they responded by “giving us the finger and packing up to leave.” Pickett and another deckhand eventually took a vessel to shore and moved the pontoon boat “three steps to the right,” he wrote.

He said two people ran rushing back, including one cursing and threatening to beat him for touching the boat. Pickett wrote that one of the men shouted that it was public dock space, but Pickett told them it was the city’s designated space for the riverboat. He said he told them he was “just doing my job.” Pickett said he was punched in the face and hit from behind. Pickett said.

“I went to the ground. I think I bit one of them. All I can hear Imma kill you” and beat you, he wrote. He couldn’t tell “how long it lasted” and “grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life,” Pickett wrote.

Montgomery Alabama Riverboat Boat Brawl pic.twitter.com/e0aYJaH7JQ — marques mcmanus (@mjmmcmanus) August 7, 2023

After the fight was over Pickett said he apologized to the riverboat customers for the inconvenience as he helped them get off the boat.

The deckhand had gone with Pickett to move the pontoon boat. His mother, who was also on the Harriott, said in a statement to police that her son tried to pull the men off Pickett and was punched in the chest.

Darron Hendley, an attorney listed in court records for two of the people charged, declined to comment. It was not immediately clear if the others had an attorney to speak on their behalf.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Friday that the investigation is ongoing.

Police said they consulted with the FBI and determined what happened on the riverfront did not qualify as a hate crime. Reed, the city’s first Black mayor, said he will trust the investigative process, but said his “perspective as a Black man in Montgomery differs from my perspective as mayor.”

“From what we’ve seen from the history of our city — a place tied to both the pain and the progress of this nation – it seems to meet the moral definition of a crime fueled by hate, and this kind of violence cannot go unchecked,” Reed said. “It is a threat to the durability of our democracy, and we are grateful to our law enforcement professionals, partner organizations and the greater community for helping us ensure justice will prevail.”

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

It's another trump-biden showdown — and we need your help, the future of democracy is at stake, your loyalty means the world to us.

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.

Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?

HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.

It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.

But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.

Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.

Dear HuffPost Reader

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

Popular in the Community

From our partner, more in u.s. news.

Black Alabama Riverboat Dockworker Says He Was Defending Himself During Brawl: ‘When He Touched Me, It’s On’

'i went to work to work, not to be in a fight,' dameion pickett said.

A riverboat deckhand who was the target of an attack at a dock in Alabama during a riverfront brawl last month is speaking out for the first time.

“I was in shock. Just straight shock.“ ferry worker Dameion Pickett said of the attack on Monday’s Good Morning America.

"This man just put his hand on me. I was, like … it's my job, but I'm still defending myself at the same time. So when he touched me, I was, like, 'It's on,'" he said.

The lead deckhand for the Harriott II Riverboat was seen being attacked in a viral video of the August 5 melee along the Montgomery Riverfront after his crew was unable to dock due to another boat being illegally parked in their way.

“By the captain’s orders we got off and moved the boat,” he explained in the interview, adding that that they had made several attempts to ask the owner to move his pontoon vessel.

"Really just moved it about one, two, four-- four steps to the right, that's it," he said.

After he was able to move the boat, he was approached by the owner and a terse confrontation began.

"I was, like, 'I'm just doing my job … After we dock, we don't mind y'all staying there but not at this time while we're trying to dock,'" Pickett said.

The other boat's owner grew more angry and started hurling expletives towards the deckhand.

“Just some nasty words, cussing,” Pickett said he endured.

View post on Twitter

That’s when another man ran up and hit him.

The melee quickly escalated, with several people joining the attack on Pickett as two other crew members rushed to Pickett’s defense.

One of them was a 16-year-old crewmember who dove from the boat and swam to the dock to come to his defense.

“When they first started hitting on him, no one helped, I couldn’t just watch and sit around and let him get beat on,” Aaren Hamilton-Rudolph said to Good Morning America.

Pickett, who has worked on the Harriott II for more than a decade, says he was sore and suffered from bruises after the attack.

“I’m here by the grace of God,” he said. “I went to work to work, not to be in a fight or get jumped on.”

Allen Todd, 23, Zachary Shipman, 25, Richard Roberts, 48, and Mary Todd, 21 all face misdemeanor assault charges from the attack.

A boat passenger who joined in the fight and hit another person over the head with a folding chair also faces assault charges.

All five have pleaded not guilty.

• Anniston/Gadsden

Montgomery Riverfront Brawl: Latest News

3 white men in pontoon boat charged in montgomery brawl.

A violent brawl erupted in Alabama’s capital city on Aug. 5, 2023, at Riverfront Park. Videos showed a Black riverboat co-captain attacked by a group of white people as other Black people rushed to his defense. Three men have been charged in connection to the large fight that went viral on social media: Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery “Chase” Shipman, 25. Police say the three charged were white men onboard a pontoon boat that prevented the riverboat from docking.

More headlines

• Montgomery riverfront brawl captured on video
• Montgomery brawl: How did this all begin?
• What is the Harriott II, riverboat involved in Montgomery brawl?

Latest news on the riverfront brawl

Riverboat co-captain pleads not guilty to assault in Montgomery riverfront brawl

A municipal judge set Dameion Pickett's trial on the misdemeanor charge for Jan. 30.

‘I was not trying to fight,’ says man who filed charge against Montgomery riverboat co-captain

Zachery “Chase” Shipman, 25, filed the complaint which led to Damieon Pickett being charged with third-degree assault.

Montgomery riverboat co-captain charged with assault months after brawl

Dameion Picket, co-captain of the Harriot II, was in the melee between white pontoon boat occupants and Black riverboat passengers.

Roy Wood Jr.’s Halloween costume on ‘The View’? A folding chair, as nod to Montgomery riverfront brawl

"This chair is a symbol of ... If they ain't gonna put CRT in the schools, we're gonna put CRT at the boat docks," the comedian said.

Montgomery riverfront brawl driven by ‘violent white mob,’ lawyer tells ‘Good Morning America’

Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said police “were unable to present any insight in a riot or racial racially biased charges at this time.”

Did Desmond Howard reference Montgomery riverfront brawl with Alabama-Texas GameDay pick?

Not only did Howard predict the winner, but he may have used a reference to the infamous Montgomery brawl.

Montgomery brawl defendants plead not guilty to charges; trials set for Oct. 27

Two of the defendants were arraigned Friday while the other three suspects entered not guilty pleas through their attorneys on Wednesday, according to court records.

The Montgomery riverfront brawl became a cultural moment: ‘You saw Black people coming together’

Many see the fight as a long-awaited answer to countless calls for help that went unanswered for Black victims of violence and mob attacks.

Reggie Ray, seen hitting people with chair at Montgomery riverfront brawl, arrested

Ray, seen hitting a white woman over the head with the chair, is charged with disorderly conduct.

Montgomery riverfront brawl started with ‘a crime fueled by hate,’ mayor says

Authorities said a former person of interest has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing and was attempting to de-escalate the situation.

Montgomery riverboat captain: Selma boaters caused problems long before brawl

In an interview with CNN, Capt. Jim Kittrell discussed whether he thought race played a role in the now-notorious melee.

What is the Harriott II, riverboat involved in Montgomery riverfront brawl?

The altercation in Montgomery quickly captured national attention via viral videos, and the Alabama riverboat was part of it.

Woman, 21, with beer in her hand allegedly hit Montgomery riverboat co-captain in throat, police report states

Police said Mary Todd, 21, is charged with third-degree assault. She surrendered to authorities on Thursday.

Montgomery riverboat crew says they were attacked by drunk people yelling n word, records state

A teen deckhand's mother wrote that she could hear "men yelling 'f--k that n----r' and the men came down to fight my son.”

Montgomery Riverfront Park brawl: 2 defendants jailed on assault charges

Allen Todd, 23, and Zachery "Chase" Shipman, 25, turned themselves in to Montgomery police.

Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/18/2024), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement , and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 12/31/2023).

© 2024 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved ( About Us ). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.

Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.

YouTube’s privacy policy is available here and YouTube’s terms of service is available here .

What we know about the Montgomery Riverfront brawl

A group of White boaters attacked a Black co-captain on Saturday on a dock at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Ala., sparking a massive brawl that resulted in assault charges and the city’s mayor calling for justice to be served to the boaters “for attacking a man who was doing his job.”

Three White men were charged with misdemeanor assault over the brawl after 13 people were initially detained by police for interviews , Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert said at a news conference with Mayor Steven L. Reed (D) on Tuesday. Those charged were Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25. Several people were detained after video clips of the brawl went viral on social media over the weekend.

Reed said in a statement Sunday that police “acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job.” He called the fight “an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred.”

Here’s what we know so far about the incident:

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Men attacked Alabama boat co-captain for ‘just doing my job,’ he says

Police in Montgomery, Alabama, said three people are expected to be in custody Tuesday on charges including misdemeanor assault in connection with a riverfront brawl that drew nationwide attention. (Aug. 8)

The Harriott II riverboat sits docked in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023. A riverfront brawl occurred on Aug. 5 when a crew member was punched for trying to move a pontoon boat that was blocking the riverboat from docking. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler)

• Copy Link copied

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, left, listens as Police Chief Darryl Albert speaks a news conference at City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023, to discuss a riverfront brawl. Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday, Aug. 5, that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.(Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed speaks a news conference at City Hall in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday August 8, 2023, to discuss a riverfront brawl. Listening at right is Police Chief Darryl Albert. Video circulating on social media showed a large melee Saturday, Aug. 5, that appeared to begin when a crew member of a city-operated riverboat tried to get a pontoon boat moved that was blocking the riverboat from docking.(Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama boat co-captain was hanging on “for dear life” as men punched and tackled him on the capital city’s riverfront, he told police after video of the brawl circulated widely online.

Dameion Pickett, a crew member of the Harriott II in Montgomery, described the brawl in a handwritten statement to authorities included in court documents, saying he was attacked after moving a pontoon boat a few feet so the city-owned riverboat could dock.

Four white boaters have been charged with misdemeanor assault in the attack against Pickett, who is Black, as well as a teen deckhand, who was punched and is white. The deckhand’s mother heard a racial slur before Pickett was hit, she wrote in a statement.

A fifth person, a Black man who appeared to be hitting people with a folding chair during the subsequent fight, has been charged with disorderly conduct, police announced Friday.

Video of the melee sparked scores of memes and video reenactments.

Pickett told police that the captain had asked a group on a pontoon boat “at least five or six times” to move from the riverboat’s designated docking space but they responded by “giving us the finger and packing up to leave.” Pickett and another deckhand eventually took a vessel to shore and moved the pontoon boat “three steps to the right,” he wrote.

He said two people ran rushing back, including one cursing and threatening to beat him for touching the boat. Pickett wrote that one of the men shouted that it was public dock space, but Pickett told them it was the city’s designated space for the riverboat. He said he told them he was “just doing my job.” Pickett said he was punched in the face and hit from behind. Pickett said.

“I went to the ground. I think I bit one of them. All I can hear Imma kill you” and beat you, he wrote. He couldn’t tell “how long it lasted” and “grabbed one of them and just held on for dear life,” Pickett wrote.

After the fight was over Pickett said he apologized to the riverboat customers for the inconvenience as he helped them get off the boat.

The deckhand had gone with Pickett to move the pontoon boat. His mother, who was also on the Harriott, said in a statement to police that her son tried to pull the men off Pickett and was punched in the chest.

Darron Hendley, an attorney listed in court records for two of the people charged, declined to comment. It was not immediately clear if the others had an attorney to speak on their behalf.

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said Friday that the investigation is ongoing.

Police said they consulted with the FBI and determined what happened on the riverfront did not qualify as a hate crime. Reed, the city’s first Black mayor, said he will trust the investigative process, but said his “perspective as a Black man in Montgomery differs from my perspective as mayor.”

“From what we’ve seen from the history of our city — a place tied to both the pain and the progress of this nation – it seems to meet the moral definition of a crime fueled by hate, and this kind of violence cannot go unchecked,” Reed said. “It is a threat to the durability of our democracy, and we are grateful to our law enforcement professionals, partner organizations and the greater community for helping us ensure justice will prevail.”

'Just in shock': Dock worker assaulted in Montgomery brawl speaks out in 'GMA' exclusive

Dameion Pickett spoke out in an interview with "GMA" co-anchor Robin Roberts.

Nearly two months after a brawl at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabama , went viral, Dameion Pickett, a dock worker who was at the center of the melee after he was assaulted by a group of boaters, spoke out about the incident in an exclusive interview with "Good Morning America."

Pickett, who is the lead deckhand of the Harriot II, reflected on what led up to the altercation and told "GMA" co-anchor Robin Roberts that he was just "just doing my job" and was "just in shock" when he was violently attacked.

"I didn't expect this to happen at work today," Pickett said. "I was just expecting another peaceful, nice cruise."

Arrest warrants issued after boaters attack dock employee at Montgomery riverbank

According to Pickett, as the Harriott II was ending a dinner cruise and getting ready to dock, a private pontoon boat was illegally parked in its place, preventing the riverboat from docking safely.

"We could have docked, but we would end up hitting a couple of those boats and be responsible for it," Pickett said.

According to Pickett and witnesses aboard the Harriett II who spoke with ABC News, crew members made several attempts to ask the owner of the pontoon boat to move it, but their calls were ignored.

"Everybody was yelling, "Could y'all move y'all boat?" Pickett said.

It was then that Pickett said he got off the riverboat "by the captain's orders" and went to move the pontoon boat himself.

"Really just moved it about one, two, four-- four steps to the right, that's it," he said.

"I was, like, 'I'm just doing my job … After we dock, we don't mind y'all staying there but not at this time while we're trying to dock,'" he added.

Moments after Pickett moved the boat, videos show that he was confronted and punched by a man and soon after, others attacked Pickett and were later identified by police as a boat owner and his family.

Pickett said that after he was assaulted, he had to defend himself.

"This man just put his hand on me. I was, like … it's my job, but I'm still defending myself at the same time. So when he touched me, I was, like, 'It's on,'" Pickett said.

According to videos captured by bystanders and obtained by ABC News, the incident led to a massive brawl that started between the individuals who attacked Pickett, all of whom were white, prompting several Black eyewitnesses to join a fight in an apparent attempt to defend Pickett, including a viral video of a teenager later identified as Aaren Hamilton-Rudolph swimming to the dock to defend him.

Hamilton-Rudolph, a 16-year-old who was only on his second week on the job, reflected on what made him swim to Pickett's defense in an interview with "GMA."

"Everybody was just recording. No one helped," Hamilton-Rudolph said. "So I couldn't just watch and sit around and just let him get beat on while everybody else is just recording and watching."

Roshein "RahRah" Carlton, Pickett's coworker and friend, also rushed to his defense.

"It's our duty as-- as our coworker, as a team, to go and aid and assist him," Carlton told "GMA."

Pickett said that "some nasty words" were directed at him when he got attacked, while Carlton claimed that he heard "a lot of racial slurs" being used during the incident.

The incident was investigated by the Montgomery Police Department, leading to misdemeanor assault charges against four white individuals, all of whom are now out on bond and set to appear in court for a hearing this week.

Montgomery Police Department Chief Darryl Albert identified Pickett and an unnamed 16-year-old white male who was allegedly struck by the owners and operators of the private boat as victims in this case during a press conference on Aug. 7.

The incident led to charges against five individuals.

Alabama riverfront melee: 5th suspect turns himself in, police say

Richard Roberts was charged with two counts of assault in the third degree, court records show. Meanwhile, Allen Todd, Zachary Shipman and Mary Todd were all charged with assault in the third degree. All have pleaded not guilty .

ABC News has attempted to reach out to the suspects and their attorneys, but requests for comment were not returned.

A fifth arrest was made days later when Reggie Ray, a Black man who was seen attacking someone with a beach chair in a viral video, was charged with disorderly conduct. He also pleaded not guilty.

Ray's attorney, Lee Merritt, told ABC News that his client had a "limited role" in the brawl and was "involuntarily roped into the disorderly conduct initiated by a violent white mob."

Asked if there's any evidence of a hate crime, Albert said that police "looked at every avenue" and left "no stone unturned" but "were unable to present any insight in a riot or racial racially biased charges at this time."

A spokesperson for the Montgomery Police Department told ABC News on Friday that there are no additional updates to share regarding the investigation.

Pickett told Roberts that all he wanted to do was make sure that the Harriott II, which was carrying more than 200 passengers at the time, was able to dock safely.

"I had a responsibility," he said. "I was still trying to get that boat in while the fight was still going on. I'm still telling the captain, 'We gotta get these folks here safely to this dock.'"

Asked how he was doing after the incident, Pickett said, "I'm just a little-- a little sore, little bumps and bruises here and there. But I'm here by the grace of God."

Top Stories

House quickly kills Marjorie Taylor Greene's effort to oust Speaker Johnson

• May 8, 7:25 PM

Miss Teen USA 2023 resigns 2 days after Miss USA gives up title

• May 8, 6:09 PM

Marathon winner disqualified after taking water from his dad in race: 'I know I won'

• May 8, 3:26 AM

Barron Trump picked to serve as a delegate at Republican National Convention

• May 8, 10:41 PM

Georgia court takes up Trump appeal of Willis ruling, possibly delaying election case

• May 8, 10:51 AM

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Captain sentenced to 4 years in fiery deaths of 34 aboard scuba boat in California

The Associated Press

Defendant Jerry Boylan, captain of the Conception, leaves federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday. Richard Vogel/AP hide caption

Defendant Jerry Boylan, captain of the Conception, leaves federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge in Los Angeles on Thursday sentenced a scuba dive boat captain to four years in prison and three years supervised release for criminal negligence after 34 people died in a fire aboard the vessel.

The Sept. 2, 2019, blaze was the deadliest maritime disaster in recent U.S. history, and prompted changes to maritime regulations, congressional reform and several ongoing lawsuits.

Captain Jerry Boylan was found guilty of one count of misconduct or neglect of ship officer last year. The charge is a pre-Civil War statute colloquially known as seaman's manslaughter. It was designed to hold steamboat captains and crew responsible for maritime disasters.

Coast Guard issues new safety rules stemming from 2019 boat fire that killed 34

Family members pleaded with U.S. District Judge George Wu to give Boylan the maximum 10-year sentence in an impassioned hearing. Many cried, and Robert Kurtz, father of the sole deckhand killed, Alexandra Kurtz, brought a small container with him up to the lectern to address Boylan and the court.

"This is all I have of my daughter," he said.

Yadira Alvarez is the mother of 16-year-old Berenice Felipe, who volunteered at an animal shelter and dreamed of becoming a marine biologist, and was the youngest of the 34 victims killed on the boat.

"He's not a victim. He is responsible for my daughter not being here," Alvarez said, while sobbing in court. "Can you imagine my pain?"

The Conception was anchored off Santa Cruz Island, 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Santa Barbara, when it caught fire before dawn on the final day of a three-day excursion, sinking less than 100 feet (30 meters) from shore.

Thirty-three passengers and a crew member died, trapped in a bunkroom below deck. Among the dead were the deckhand, who had landed her dream job ; an environmental scientist who conducted research in Antarctica; a globe-trotting couple; a Singaporean data scientist; and a family of three sisters, their father and his wife.

Boylan was the first to abandon ship and jump overboard. Four crew members who joined him also survived.

During the hearing, Boylan's attorney read a statement aloud to the court in which he expressed his condolences and said he has cried every day since the fire.

"I wish I could have brought everyone home safe," the statement said. "I am so sorry."

In determining a sentence, Wu said he took into account Boylan's age, health, the unlikelihood of recurrence and the need for deterrence and punishment.

He said while Boylan's behavior was reckless, the guidelines for sentencing would not warrant a 10-year sentence.

"This is not a situation where the defendant intended to do something bad," Wu said.

The defense had asked the judge to sentence Boylan to a five-year probationary sentence, with three years to be served under house arrest.

Boylan's appeal is ongoing.

Hank Garcia, whose son Daniel was among the victims, said he is not a vengeful person but he and other family members don't want something like this to ever happen again.

"We all have a life sentence," he told the court. "We are having a life sentence without these people that we love."

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement: "While today's sentence cannot fully heal their wounds, we hope that our efforts to hold this defendant criminally accountable brings some measure of healing to the families."

Thursday's sentencing was the final step in a fraught prosecution that's lasted nearly five years and repeatedly frustrated the victims' families.

A grand jury in 2020 initially indicted Boylan on 34 counts of seaman's manslaughter, meaning he could have faced a total of 340 years behind bars. Boylan's attorneys argued the deaths were the result of a single incident and not separate crimes, so prosecutors got a superseding indictment charging Boylan with only one count.

In 2022, Wu dismissed the superseding indictment, saying it failed to specify that Boylan acted with gross negligence. Prosecutors were then forced to go before a grand jury again.

Although the exact cause of the blaze aboard the Conception remains undetermined, the prosecutors and defense sought to assign blame throughout the 10-day trial last year.

The government said Boylan failed to post the required roving night watch and never properly trained his crew in firefighting. The lack of the roving watch meant the fire was able to spread undetected across the 75-foot (23-meter) boat.

But Boylan's attorneys sought to pin blame on Glen Fritzler , who, with his wife, owns Truth Aquatics Inc., which operated the Conception and two other scuba dive boats, often around the Channel Islands. They argued that Fritzler was responsible for failing to train the crew in firefighting and other safety measures, as well as creating a lax seafaring culture they called "the Fritzler way," in which no captain who worked for him posted a roving watch.

The Fritzlers have not spoken publicly about the tragedy since an interview with a local TV station a few days after the fire. Their attorneys have never responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

With the conclusion of the criminal case, attention now turns to several ongoing lawsuits.

Three days after the fire, Truth Aquatics filed suit under a pre-Civil War provision of maritime law that allows it to limit its liability to the value of the remains of the boat, which was a total loss. The time-tested legal maneuver has been successfully employed by the owners of the Titanic and other vessels, and requires the Fritzlers to show they were not at fault.

That case is pending, as well as others filed by victims' families against the Coast Guard for what they allege was lax enforcement of the roving watch requirement.

After the sentencing Thursday, Susana Solano, who lost three of her daughters and their father on the boat, said she and the other family members hoped the judge would listen to their pleas.

"I'm extremely disappointed," she said. "It's just heartwrenching."

• Los Angeles