New Jersey Man Gets Eight Years in Prison for Racial Abuse of Neighbors

• Edward Mathews, 47, sentenced to eight years in prison for bias intimidation and a drug charge.
• Mathews, a white New Jersey man, went viral in July 2021 for racially abusing black neighbors.
• He engaged in a range of abusive behaviors including hurling racial slurs, physical intimidation, and property damage.

Edward Mathews, a 47-year-old man from New Jersey, received an eight-year prison sentence on Friday for multiple counts of bias intimidation and a related drug charge.

This verdict follows his viral incident in July 2021, where he was captured on camera racially abusing a black neighbor. The court proceedings revealed that Mathews had a long history of terrorizing his black neighbors at the Essex Palace condominium in Mount Laurel. His actions included firing BB pellets at cars, using racial slurs, vandalizing properties, and sending threatening communications.

Photo by@Facebook/dailymail.co

During the sentencing, Mathews, clad in an orange prison jumpsuit, expressed remorse for his past actions and acknowledged the damage he caused to his family, including the dissolution of his marriage. His ex-wife, Shannon Schwartzhoff, attributed his outburst to alcohol and neighborhood disputes, while maintaining that he was not inherently racist.

The prosecution presented impact statements from several victims, underscoring the lasting fear and anxiety Mathews' actions had instilled. His criminal record, which includes 11 felony convictions since 1995, was also highlighted. As part of his sentence, Judge Gerard Breland mandated racial sensitivity training and ordered Mathews to pay restitution. Mathews has been in custody since the incident and will be credited for time served, with eligibility for parole in about 16 months.

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