Harriott II co-captain Damien Pickett says he fought for his life during the riverfront brawl, where several white men attacked him.
The longtime dock worker detailed his experience in a written deposition after the chaos that ensued on August 5th. Per Pickett, he was simply doing his job by moving a pontoon that was blocking the city-owed vessel. However, he only resorted to moving it himself after several minutes of asking its occupants to do so. Pickett and another dock employee were met with the middle finger and several rude slurs. He said as he untied the boat, two of its occupants threatened to beat him up before one punched him, and the others followed suit.
“Do what you’ve got to do. I’m just doing my job,” Pickett responded to the threats before the fight broke out.
While the violent white men jumped Pickett, several other dock attendees and workers came to his rescue in a now-viral moment, which has been viewed and shared by millions online. In the end, several people faced legal action for assaulting Pickett. Mary Todd, Allen Todd, Zachary Shipman, and Richard Roberts have all been charged with third-degree assault. Sadly, Reggie Ray, who came to Pickett’s defense, has also been arrested on Friday for hitting one of the white aggressors with a folding chair. He has been charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, WSFA 12 reports.
Pickett has not been charged with any crimes for defending himself in the brawl, though Montgomery police has said additional charges are possible.
