South Fulton County

Victim of hot water attack breaks down on the stand

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Testimony began Tuesday in the trial of a man accused of pouring boiling water on two gay men as they slept.

One of the victims began sobbing on the witness stand as he described the attack.

Martin Blackwell is accused of pouring water on Marquez Tolbert and his boyfriend, Anthony Gooden, as they slept in Gooden's mother's College Park apartment in February. Blackwell was Gooden's mother's boyfriend.

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“I was out of nowhere,” Tolbert said.

Tolbert spent 10 days in the hospital after the attack. Gooden was there for more than a month.

In court Tuesday, the judge ordered a 15 minutes recess as Tolbert sobbed uncontrollably.

Gooden, who still has visible scars on his face, testified later. %

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He says since the attack he has been unable to work.

“I'm not working right now due to the disability in my right arm,” he told the court.

Gooden and Tolbert suffered second and third degree burns.

If convicted, Blackwell could get 80 years in prison.