Five suspects charged in viral downtown brawl make appearance in court
By Fletcher Keel
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CINCINNATI (WLWT) — Six of the seven people charged in a brawl in downtown Cincinnati that made national headlines are due back in court Thursday.
One of the suspects is facing new charges.
The six suspects will be arraigned on charges of aggravated riot and felonious assault. A grand jury indicted them last week. They’re all accused of playing a part in a violent assault last month near 4th and Elm Streets. Each of them faces nearly 30 years in prison, if convicted.
The first suspect to appear was Montanez Merriweather, 34, who is also facing a federal charge for illegally having a gun as a convicted felon.
It was determined Merriweather’s bond would be kept at $500,000.
Court records show on July 2, weeks before the fight, Merriweather was arrested for receiving stolen property with a gun. He bonded out the next day.
Dekyra Vernon, being represented by Clyde Bennett, was given a bond of $25,000 at 10%. The judge also said Vernon was to stay away from downtown. If she doesn’t, or tampers with her monitoring device, her bond would be revoked.
Initially, her bond was set at $200,000.
Bennett argued the case has been elevated due to race and politics but, if you remove those factors, it was a fist fight fueled by alcohol.
In response, prosecutor Kip Guinan said for Bennet to say the case is driven by race is offensive.
Jermaine Matthews, who prosecutors say is one of the main instigators and the “leader” of the attack, had his bond kept the same. He was also allowed to go to work and make court appearances.
Matthews previously bonded out.
Dominique Kittles had his bond kept the same, but will be kept in custody pending the result of a mental evaluation to be done over the next month.
Guinan called Kittles, “A grave danger to the public.”
Aisha Devaughn, 26, who was initially given a bond of $300,000, saw it lowered to $25,000.
Her attorney cited her lack of any prior felonies in her history.
The sixth suspect, Patrick Rosemond, was expected in court on Thursday but isn’t back from Georgia, where he was taken into custody.
Meanwhile, we’re still pushing for answers from the city and investigators about what led to the assault.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval spoke Wednesday, encouraging fast action on the case.
“I think what is in the best interest of the City is for us to, as soon as possible, make final charging decisions and brief the public so that we can move on from this fight and focus on the real public safety concerns, which are gun violence and property crime.”
The arraignment began at 9 a.m.
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