Watch the Arrest Caught on Video
Click the link below to view the viral footage of Edward Mathews' arrest after his racist rant:
▶️ Watch on X (Twitter)In a chilling case from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, a man’s unchecked bigotry spilled from private animus into public terror—and finally, into justice.
A History of Hate—Ignored Until It Couldn’t Be
Edward Cagney Mathews had a disturbing history of harassing his neighbors—especially Black residents—for years. From 2016 to 2021, local police received dozens of complaints: vandalized vehicles, threatening notes, and verbal assaults.
But local police and judicial law enforcement refused to bring Matthews up on criminal charges in response to these repeated reports of Matthews criminally victimizing Americans.
This reality demonstrates how northern racially motivated crimes, a serious form of violence, often depend on and thrive through, systemic plausible deniability—a form of legal abuse, when victims are black.
Related: Man on Racist Rant Told People to Show Up at His House. So They Did.
These neighbors, deeply rooted in their community, endured this abuse beyond the threshold of tolerance. “No one should have to endure racial harassment anywhere, but especially not in their own neighborhood,” emphasized a county prosecutor.
The Viral Breaking Point
On July 2, 2021, everything changed. Mathews, captured on camera, hurled racial slurs—calling his young Black neighbor male a “monkey” and a hateful slur—while chest-bumping and spitting to escalate the intimidation while telling people watching the video to telling them to come him... So they did. The derailment into public spectacle drew hundreds to protest outside his home—shaming intolerance into action. With mounting pressure, authorities finally arrested him.
From Viral Outrage to Legal Resolution
Mathews pleaded guilty in October 2023 to four counts of bias intimidation and a drug possession charge involving hallucinogenic mushrooms. In December, he received an eight‑year sentence, with parole eligibility after about 16 months, plus restitution and mandated sensitivity training.
In court, Mathews shed tears. “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future,” he said, offering a belated apology and pledging, “I want to commit to rebuild the community.”
Related: New Jersey man Edward Mathews sentenced to 8 years in jail for hurling racial slurs at neighbors in viral video
What Justice Looked Like—Finally
| Issue | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Persistent racial terror | Criminal conviction under bias-intimidation laws |
| Community trauma | A voice at sentencing with victims' impact statements read by prosecutors |
| Structural inaction | Highlighted failures of a reactive system to prevent hate before it exploded |
References
NBC10 Philadelphia. (2021, October 6). Man in NJ racist rant video had long history of complaints. NBC Philadelphia. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/man-in-nj-racist-rant-video-had-long-history-of-complaints/2982703/
The Hill. (2021, July 10). New Jersey man who yelled racial slurs at Black neighbors receives additional charges. The Hill. https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/562420-new-jersey-man-who-yelled-racial-slurs-at-neighbors-receives-additional/
NBC New York. (2023, October 18). NJ man who went viral for racist rant pleads guilty to bias intimidation, drug offenses. NBC New York. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/nj-man-who-went-viral-for-racist-rant-pleads-guilty-to-bias-intimidation-drug-offenses/4781012/
The Philadelphia Inquirer. (2023, December 8). A Mount Laurel man was sentenced to 8 years in prison in a racial intimidation case caught on viral video. The Philadelphia Inquirer. https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/racist-rant-mount-laurel-edward-mathews-sentencing-20231208.html
TheGrio. (2023, December 11). Man who harassed Black neighbors, hurled racial slurs, gets 8 years in prison. TheGrio. https://thegrio.com/2023/12/11/edward-cagney-mathews-harassed-black-neighbors-hurled-racial-slurs-new-jersey-eight-years-prison/
AP News. (2021, July). White man seen cursing Black neighbors faces more charges. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-nj-state-wire-7d9d644bee2d6896fe8916961b90b61c
CNN. (2021, July 7). New Jersey man arrested after video allegedly shows him shouting racial slurs at neighbors. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/07/us/new-jersey-racial-slurs-arrest-edward-mathews/index.html
Mirror US. (2023, December). Man who shouted racial slurs and spat at neighbors in shocking viral vid learns his fate. The Mirror US. https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/man-who-shouted-racial-slurs-231461
.png)
.png)
.png)
Post a Comment