A 41-year-old New Jersey resident, Anthony Collins, has been sentenced to three years in prison after a fatal altercation with a man who had been racially harassing his family for months. The incident, which took place on September 18, 2023, culminated in the death of 70-year-old Robert May, after a confrontation outside a local store.
According to court records, the situation escalated when May, who had a history of targeting Collins and his family with racial slurs, deliberately rode his bicycle into Collins’ wife as they were leaving the store. This provoked Collins to punch May, causing him to fall and hit the ground hard. Witnesses reported seeing May lying unresponsive, with blood coming from his head and mouth. Despite the severity of the injury, May regained consciousness and refused medical assistance, choosing instead to return home.
However, May’s condition deteriorated, and he began acting erratically. Concerned parties eventually had him taken to a hospital, where he later died. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt-force trauma to the head, and the manner of death was ruled as homicide.
In court, Collins argued that his actions were in self-defense, fueled by months of enduring May’s racist attacks against his family. However, the presiding judge pointed out the significant difference in age and physical strength between Collins and the elderly May, asserting that Collins could have chosen to contact law enforcement rather than resorting to violence.
As part of the sentencing, Collins will be required to serve nearly 31 months of his three-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The case has sparked discussions around the complexities of self-defense claims, especially in situations where ongoing harassment and racial discrimination are involved.
This tragic incident serves as a somber reminder of the destructive consequences of unresolved racial tension and the importance of seeking legal recourse in the face of persistent harassment.
