GOP senator reveals new details Cincinnati woman shared about Ohio brawl

Republican Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno said Thursday on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle” that one of the victims beaten in the viral Cincinnati street fight had to call an Uber to take herself home after getting “brutally attacked.”

Early Saturday morning, video footage of a brawl occurring at Elm and Fourth streets circulated online, as multiple people were seen getting attacked. While discussing the incident with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, Moreno said one of the victims told him about the altercation from her perspective.

“Yeah, just to be clear, Holly had nothing to do with any of the altercation. Her crime was wanting to go to downtown Cincinnati and have an evening with some friends. She tried to stop the fight, and she got brutally attacked. I actually call it attempted murder,” Moreno said. “By the way, when the one police officer did show up, because we’re 200 police officers short in Cincinnati, she was taken home in an Uber that she had to call. She wasn’t taking an ambulance. Nobody took her to the hospital.”

“She’s now been in and out of the hospital three times. I’ve talked to her every day. She’s frightened to death,” Moreno added. “You can imagine the trauma. She’s a middle-aged woman that almost got her life beaten to death for showing up at one of our great American  cities. To see [Councilwoman] Victoria Parks and the comments that she’s made, it’s so despicable.”

After the scene went viral online, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge held a press conference announcing that five people were charged in connection to the brutal street fight. Theetge said more charges were coming.

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In the footage online, the fight was seen beginning with four men, as one man was repeatedly stomped on. As the video continues, a woman is later seen getting punched by a man, appearing to be knocked unconscious while lying in the street.

“The reality is it’s even worse because there’s another detail missing. There’s a judge, Judge Hathaway,” Moreno said. “They got the guy in custody, as you said. He was released, even though he was in [for] a previous gun offense. Get this, Laura, a $400 bail. This guy’s on the streets of Cincinnati today after almost murdering Holly on a $400 bail.”

“That’s how despicable and how rotten our problem is there. But we’re going to fix it. I’ve said to the city that they have 30 days to put together a plan or we’re going to cut federal funding off,” Moreno said.

Those arrested in connection to the attack included Montianez Merriweather, Dekyra Vernon and Jermaine Matthew.

According to reports, Merriweather had just been charged on July 10 with receiving stolen property, possession of a firearm while under disability, carrying a concealed weapon and improper transport of a firearm. He previously served seven years in prison for armed robbery.

Despite his past offenses, Merriweather was released on a $4,000 bond for his July 10 charges, only needing to post 10%, or $400, to be released, according to Fox4.

In relation to the Cincinnati brawl, Merriweather’s bond was set at $500,000, with Vernon’s and Matthews’ set at $200,000 and $100,000.

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