The Cincinnati Police Department has reported that an eighth individual, a 45-year-old white man, is charged with disorderly conduct after a brawl that unfolded on July 26 at the corner of 4th and Elm Streets in downtown Cincinnati. The misdemeanor of the fourth degree brought this man, who was also identified as a victim of the incident, to the Hamilton County Municipal Court on August 26. His name has not been disclosed in accordance with Marsy's Law, which allows crime victims to request that their personal information be withheld from the public.
Despite the protections offered by Marsy's Law, WLWT managed to contact the charged individual, Alex Tchervinski, who confirmed his pending charge in a telephone conversation on Tuesday night. A video related to the brawl, which went viral, depicts a white man in a heated exchange with a black man – the former striking the latter across the face; this act seemed to escalate the violence. Community leaders, particularly from the Black community in Cincinnati, have urged that the white man who appeared to be at the nexus of the conflict face charges. WLWT has sources that confirm Tchervinski is the man in question.
According to WLWT, "One video of the brawl shows a Black man in a red shirt being hit in the face by a White man, sparking a chaotic scene with others joining in, throwing punches, kicking, and stomping." In the wake of the incident, discussions about race and violence have resurfaced in the community, with leaders publicly demanding accountability and a thorough investigation.
Local12's coverage of the incident adds that the Cincinnati Police Department, in keeping with a directive from Marsy's Law, has opted not to release the suspect's identity as he has been recognized as a victim as well. Nevertheless, the man's identity appears to have been implicitly confirmed by him in a statement obtained by LOCAL12. The law aims to balance the scales between the accused and the victim, offering protections to the latter, but in cases of public interest, complicates the full disclosure of details.
A report from Cincinnati.com notes that while police have enforced the charge, they have not explicitly confirmed if Tchervinski is the individual seen in the slap that precipitated the brawl in the impugned video. This ambiguity in the enforcement of Marsy's Law in the context of someone who may also be an alleged perpetrator has sparked conversations about the levels of protection and anonymity afforded to individuals involved in criminal proceedings.
