On Thursday, a 27-year-old hooligan was finally arrested months after he beat up a 63-year-old moviegoer over a dispute about seats.
The incident traces back to July 10th at the AMC Pompano Beach 18 movie theater in Pompano Beach, Florida, where Jesse Montez Thorton II allegedly pummeled Marc Cohen, 63, after Cohen asked him and his female companion to relinquish their seats.
According to authorities who spoke with Miami station WPLG, Cohen and his wife had purchased VIP tickets, and those tickets had included assigned seats — assigned seats that Thorton and his pal had effectively stolen.
“When Cohen and his wife arrived at the movie theater, he noticed an unknown adult male and adult female in his seats. Cohen politely asked the subject, Jesse Montez Thorton II, to move from their seats. Witnesses said that’s when Thorton became hostile,” according to a news release from Broward Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Claudinne Caro.
Video footage of the altercation shows Cohen losing his balance and collapsing, after which Thorton stands over him and starts punching him until witnesses arrive to put an end to it.
“I just don’t understand people, how they act that way — there’s no civility anymore,” Cohen later told WPLG.
He added that the altercation began when he approached Thorton and said, “Excuse me, you guys are in our seats.”
But instead of reacting, Thorton allegedly just sat there staring at him.
“This guy just kept staring at me instead of getting up,” Cohen recalled to fellow Miami station WTVJ. “I said to the people at this point, who didn’t apologize or say thank you, I said ‘you guys can just keep the seats.'”
“As I’m walking away, he said ‘go run to your wife little boy.’ So I turned around and I said ‘you know I’m not the one who’s being a little boy, you took my seats and you didn’t apologize or you didn’t say thank you and I let you keep them,'” he added.
And that evidently was the straw that broke the angry man’s back.
“He jumped up, he wanted to fight me, he backed me up, I fell over the stairs and as soon as I fell down the stairs, it was like a boxer being against the ropes. This guy just went to town on me,” Cohen recalled to WTVJ.
“I was on the stairs and he just kept pounding away at my head, and I couldn’t get him off of me to do that,” he added in remarks to WPLG.
September 2023. Pompano Beach, Florida. Jesse Montez Thorton II, 27, faces one count of aggravated battery with great bodily harm in connection with the July attack on a 63-year-old moviegoer. Marc Cohen and his wife had purchased VIP assigned seats. When the couple arrived at… pic.twitter.com/LGquqgF7y8
— Southern Man (@MagicBelle1) September 29, 2023
Eventually, Thorton and his female companion fled the theater after witnesses pulled him off of his victim. Cohen meanwhile was taken to a hospital and treated for a broken nose and injuries to the head. Afterward, Thorton remained on the loose for months.
“BSO detectives worked this case for months. The video and information about this callous attack received national and international media attention and generated leads, including an anonymous tip through Broward Crime Stoppers,” Caro said.
After receiving the anonymous tip, the authorities finally tracked Thorton down and took him into custody on Thursday, reportedly arresting him in Fort Lauderdale.
As of Friday, he was being held at the Broward County Main on a $250,000 bond as per a charge of aggravated battery.
Critics say he should face an extended stay in prison because of the danger he clearly poses to society. That being said, critics are glad this occurred in a red state like Florida where criminals are actually held accountable:
Throw the book at him. Make him an example!!!
— Smarty Pants Mom (@smarty_mom) September 30, 2023
At least in Florida there’s a good chance this low-IQ thug won’t be walking free any time soon.
— OK Groomer!️⚧️️ (@NoGroomingHere) September 29, 2023
Should be attempted murder and he should never be let out of jail. Chances are, this isn’t the first arrest this guy has had.
— Michelle (@MichaelTPro) September 29, 2023
He should be put in jail for life. People that prone towards senseless violence are a danger to everyone else. They cannot be reformed.
— Noah Ruderman (@devilscompiler) September 29, 2023
Good thing this happened in Florida because the authorities will actually prosecute him. If this was Illinois he would be out in a day.
— Nate The Great (@NateThomas1990) September 29, 2023
Good. The DAs in Broward County don’t play the “criminals are the real victims” game. Give this menace to civilized society 10-15 years and call it a day, @BrowardSAO.
— B.A.R. ⭐️ (@forceofwillprod) September 29, 2023
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Vivek@bizpacreview.com
V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.
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