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Family 'devastated' following Whitehaven golf course attack | SCLC joins NAACP in calling for higher charges

Both the NAACP Memphis Branch and the Christian Southern Leadership Conference are joining one man's family in asking that a case might be considered a hate crime.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — What began as a normal day on a Whitehaven golf course, quickly turned into a long-term stay at Regional One.

Bystanders at The Links at Whitehaven said Mark Coleman, who is a community activist and lifelong Memphian, was golfing on Dec. 3 when his ball landed near another group. 

In the other group was Wesley Caldwell, the man charged after picking up Mr. Coleman’s golf ball, throwing it in the other direction and then hitting Mr. Coleman over the head with a golf club.

Now, both the NAACP Memphis Branch and the Christian Southern Leadership Conference (CSLS) are joining Coleman's family in calling for the District Attorney's office to investigate the case.  

One of Mr. Coleman’s cousins, Talut El-Amin, repeated one word when asked how the incident has affected the family: "devastating"

“The damage that has been done to this man is unbelievable,” El-Amin said.

Mark Coleman, known in the community was an activist following in the footsteps of his father, is still unable to speak as he remains in critical condition.

“He hasn’t recovered, he hasn’t regained consciousness [and] it’s been a week or so,” El-Amin said.

Coleman comes from an average family, with this taking a toll on each and every one of them.

“He has children, a mother — a normal family,” El-Amin said. “Only two people at a time can visit him per day. Yeah, it’s hard on everybody, we can’t see him.”

El-Amin personally hasn’t been able to see his cousin since the incident, but he said all of Coleman’s immediate family has had the opportunity to check in.

The golf course the incident happened at is a city of Memphis course, but the city said they won’t comment on an ongoing investigation and this “this is a matter between two private citizens.” 

This comes after the Shelby County District Attorney’s office made a statement that they’re looking into the incident in response to the Memphis NAACP’s request for higher charges.

Memphis NAACP President, Van Turner, said the organization felt it was necessary to get involved in this issue to hold leaders accountable to bring the proper charges against Caldwell.

“For this young man —Caldwell — to have a $5,000 bond and to have an AG (aggravated) assault charge, [it] just seemed like it didn’t fit for this case,” Turner said. “We‘re just joining the call to ask the DA’s office and everyone involved to have a re-look at the case and to possibly investigate for a hate crime if the facts are there.”

Turner did say that while they’re pushing for the proper charges, they are not insinuating that hate crime charges need to be filed. However they are wanting the DA’s office to make sure they’re factoring in all evidence so that if hate crime charges should be made, that action is taken appropriately.

As for what justice looks like for the family, they’re leaving it up to the courts to make the right decision but do want further charges.

“We would like for them to consider this act by this young man a hate crime,” El-Amin said.

As of Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, ABC 24 was informed Mr. Coleman is still unconscious and on a ventilator, but stable.

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