() The six suspects charged in relation to the brutal Cincinnati brawl that went viral on social media are facing almost 30 years in prison if convicted.
On Friday, Hamilton County prosecutor Connie Pillich announced that the six suspects were being indicted on eight charges each, with a potential prison sentence of 29 1/2 years. These charges include three counts of felonious assault, three charges of assault and two charges of aggravated rioting.
Ohio’s aiding and abetting law is being used as the premise for these charges. Under this law, anyone who assists or facilitates the act of a crime, even without directly committing it, can face the same penalties as the principal offender.
“What I saw on video is not the Cincinnati I know and love,” Pillich wrote. “These charges hold those involved in the attack accountable.”
These charges come amid growing backlash over the city’s handling of the brawl. On Friday, the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police released a statement citing “systemic issues” within Cincinnati’s judicial system. The association is calling for more transparency in how sentences are imposed, bonds set and which judges are making the call.
