WEST POINT — The case against three suspects charged with the August beating of a man will be presented to a grand jury this spring.
Marquavious McMillian, 20, of Aberdeen, and Courtez McMillian, 22, of Okolona, were arrested in August and charged with one count of aggravated assault for allegedly beating Ralph Weems IV in the Huddle House parking lot along Highway 45 South. Authorities have declined to say if the two are related. Each received a $250,000 bond for their alleged role in the Aug. 23 incident.
In November, police arrested and charged a third suspect in the alleged assault, Constance Levail McFarland, 21, of Aberdeen.
West Point Police Chief Timothy Brinkley told The Dispatch on Thursday that the three suspects will face a grand jury in April. The beating carried heavy racial implications — the accused are black, the victim is white. Only a grand jury can classify the assault as a hate crime, according to authorities.
Weems appears to be making a good recovery. A GoFundMe.com page dedicated to helping Weems pay his medical expenses has raised over $11,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
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