The media usually rush to defend those who can be claimed as one of their own, just look at the coverage of Saudi nationalist Jamal Khashoggi.
A story that is unlikely to garner mainstream attention, however, is the death of Jerry Wolkowitz, a New Jersey freelance photographer who was attacked six months ago for his race, according to police.
Wolkowitz was hit from behind while he was in the parking lot of his apartment complex. Jamil S. Hubbard hit Wolkowitz on his head and face, and then dragged him into the parking lot. Hubbard then ran Wolkowitz over with his own car, before stealing the journalist’s vehicle and fleeing the scene, prosecutors said.
“The investigation determined that the defendant targeted the victim because of his race,” said Chris Swendeman, a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman, after the attack initially occurred. Hubbard, who is black, did not know Wolkowitz previously.
Wolkowitz spent the next six months in a vegetative state in the hospital. A GoFundMe page was started to help pay for his hospital bills and had raised $14,449 of a $25,000 goal at the time of this writing. Wolkowitz died on Oct. 18.
Wolkowitz was a reporter and a life member of the Freehold, NJ First Aid and Rescue Squad, where he mentored young EMTs.
“Hubbard was charged with first-degree attempted murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and first-degree bias intimidation. He remains in custody,” NJ101.5 reported. “Swendeman would not disclose if new charges would be brought.”
