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Initial Hearings Set For Men Charged In Vauhxx Booker Incident

Sean Purdy (red shirt) holds Vauhxx Booker (kneeling, khaki shorts) against a tree near Lake Monroe on July 4, 2020.
Sean Purdy (red shirt) holds Vauhxx Booker (kneeling, khaki shorts) against a tree near Lake Monroe on July 4, 2020.

Initial hearings are scheduled for the two men charged in the Fourth of July incident at Lake Monroe.

Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox are set to appear in court for the first time this Friday, July 24. 

Local activist Vauhxx Booker, who is Black, says a group of White men jumped him on the holiday and threatened to hang him with a noose.

READ MORE: Prosecutor To Charge Two Men With Criminal Confinement, Battery In Vauhxx Booker Case

Last Friday, Monroe County Prosecutor Erika Oliphant filed criminal charges against Purdy and Cox. A Department of Natural Resources report also listed charges that could apply to Booker but were not brought forth.

Purdy faces three felony charges, including criminal confinement with bodily injury, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury and intimidation. Documents provided by the Prosecutor’s Office say Purdy is charged with intimidation for saying “get a noose.” 

Cox is charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors. The felonies include criminal confinement with bodily injury and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury. The misdemeanors include one count of intimidation and two counts of battery.

Cathy Knapp contributed to this story.

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Mitch Legan is a multimedia reporter for WTIU/WFIU News. He focuses on the city of Bloomington in his work for City Limits and anchors daily WTIU Newsbreaks. Before coming to Bloomington, Mitch graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism with an emphasis in radio reporting.