Man Attacked In Salisbury In What Police Call Ethnic Intimidation

The first fruits of North Carolina's "Get tough!" anti-gang legislation:

A young man is being held in the Rowan County Correctional Facility accused in the mob-style beating of a 47-year-old who was simply taking an evening stroll in his neighborhood.

Matthew Dwyer's eyes are blackened, his forehead stitched up and his arms scraped up. He said he was beaten by nine black teenagers.

Salisbury police said it was a racially motivated and gang-motivated crime. Dwyer is white. Salisbury Deputy Police Chief Steve Whitley said the teens were wearing gang colors and are part of a well-known gang in east Salisbury.

"This adds to their notoriety and reputation amongst other hoodlums, and it's our job to ferret them out and we are actively about that,” he said.

Police arrested the teen who they believe is the gang leader and started the beating. His name is Marlon Barber, but he goes by "Murda."

Yep -- that new law is working great, ain't it?

I have a question -- if Mr. Dwyer was beaten by nine kids, why is only one -- "Murda" -- in the pokey?

In response to this senseless, violent ethnic intimidation, the Southern Poverty Law Center is issuing a sternly worded release condemning Murda and his gang. Here it comes -- any minute now -- wait for it --