Mother, Son Charged In Taped Beating

UPPER DARBY, Pa. - Police in Delaware County want the charges changed to attempted murder in a vicious beating outside a bar that was caught on tape.

The attack on a 37-year-old man Saturday morning left him unconscious and hospitalized with serious injuries to his face and head, reported Fox 29’s Dave Schratwieser.

Slideshow: Images From Surveillance Tape

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood released surveillance video Tuesday allegedly showing 25-year-old Rhashad Carlton stomping the unconscious victim in the head and face more than a half dozen times.

“One individual, which we will see, is jumping on his head and face area like the victim was a rag doll,” Supt. Chitwood described during a press conference. “See him, he's being stomped. One, two, right in the head, he's out. He's unconscious, three.”

Supt. Chitwood said an unidentified Good Samaritan tried to intervene and was quickly attacked himself by Carlton's mother, Bonita.

Police said Officer John News came to the rescue and pulled mother and son off the victim with his taser in hand.

“If News don't interject, that guy's dead. They'd have kicked him to death right out there,” said Supt. Chitwood.

The fight started with an argument in a bar right across the street from police headquarters and ended up outside after the victim reportedly disrespected Carlton's mother. A surveillance camera caught the entire incident on tape.

"He was beaten and kicked. Stomped on. It's a sad statement on society," said the victim's friend, Jim Heron.

Chitwood has some choice words for the bar where the incident took place, calling it “a cesspool, a pit.”

Carlton and his mother were charged with aggravated assault, assault and reckless endangerment charges. But after viewing the videotape, Chitwood says he will seek to have the charges upgraded to attempted murder at a preliminary hearing next week.

Police are looking for two other suspects.

“He has fractured bones in his neck, fractured bones in his face. He's lucky to be alive,” believes Chitwood. “He was defenseless and he's lucky to be alive."

Bonita Carlton was released on $40,000 bail. Her son, Rhashad, is being held on $100,000 bail.