Federal judge awards $2.75 million to Boston musician attacked by white supremacist group

A white supremacist group must pay $2.7 million in damages to a Black musician attacked during the group's 2022 "flash" march in Boston, a federal judge ruled on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said the group, Patriot Front, violated the civil rights of 37-year-old saxophonist Charles Murrell III when members yelled racist slurs and assaulted him on Dartmouth Street.

On the day of the attack, over 100 masked members of Patriot Front marched through Boston, carrying signs that read "RECLAIM AMERICA" and delivering speeches on public sidewalks. In his lawsuit against the group, Murrell said he was heading to Boston Public Library to perform when Patriot Front members violently assaulted him.

Murrell said the attackers knocked him to the ground with metal shields, kicking and beating him until he lost consciousness. In his lawsuit, Murrell recounted that he didn't know who his attackers were, and his vision started to go black; in shock and fear, he testified that he "was scared they would kill him."

No one was arrested following the attack.

"Murrell’s attackers showed no remorse for their actions," Talwani wrote in her decision, noting that the group "glorified the attack by posting a video online with a clip of the group pinning Murrell against the light post and pushing him into the busy road, to promote the view that non-white individuals like Murrell should be subordinated to white people."

Talwani found that Murrell's physical injuries, including lacerations to his hands, impacted his ability to play music — a major part of his identity and livelihood.

The lawsuit claims that since the attack, "Murrell's hand locks up" a few hours into playing his instrument, limiting his current and future earning potential.

Medical testimony also revealed that Murrell was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the assault.

A close friend of Murrell, Oliver Burns, told the court that Murrell's "personality changed after the attack," saying he now rarely visits family and friends and has been in "survival mode."

The court awarded the musician $25,000 for physical injuries, $500,000 for psychological distress, and $230,000 for lost wages and employment opportunities. The judge also ordered the group to pay Murrell's attorneys' fees, which have yet to be determined.

The additional $2 million awarded as part of the judgement were for punitive damages.

"Murrell’s attackers showed no remorse for their actions," Talwani wrote, adding that they "glorified" the attack. "Punitive damages are necessary to deter similar acts in the future."

Talwani granted the default judgment after Patriot Front, represented as anonymous "John Does," and their leader, Thomas Rousseau, failed to respond to the lawsuit or appear in court.