Edward Mathews, Mount Laurel Man Seen In Viral Racist Rant, Indicted On 15 Charges
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (CBS) -- It was a story that captured national attention. A Mount Laurel man who neighbors say terrorized his apartment complex for years with racially motivated rants and attacks.
A citizen grand jury returned an indictment 16 pages long and in it, Edward Cagney Mathews faces 15 charges. People who live in the neighborhood say they are relieved.
"So happy. So happy because the neighborhood has been so peaceful since he's been locked up," neighbor Sarah Davis said.
Peace at Essex Place. It's a far cry from early July when Mathews was escorted out of his house by Mount Laurel police. Neighbors say Mathews harassed them for years.
In a now-viral video that was posted to social media, Mathews is heard likening a Black man to a wild animal. And in another video, he is heard using the N-word.
"I was afraid for my children. My husband is Black, I'm Hispanic and he was gearing toward the race of the community so it was very upsetting," Davis said.
The 15 charges Mathews now faces include four counts of bias intimidation, one count of stalking, two counts on drug possession, one count of criminal mischief, and seven counts on weapons possession involving a slingshot.
"We were very fearful. We were actually going to end up moving if this didn't get situated," Davis said.
Mathews' lawyer said he was the victim in the situation: "Edward Mathews has been unjustifiably detained, charged and indicted primarily because of the current political environment and white color of his skin."
Mathews has been in jail since being taken into custody in July. This is after neighbors say they complained for years.
While the Southern Burlington County NAACP praised the indictment, they also said in a statement: "This situation made Burlington County aware of the consequences in a community when white supremacy and privilege are coupled with law enforcement complicity."
An arraignment for Mathews has not yet been scheduled.
