New Bedford man sentenced for violent assault on elderly, disabled man

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn announced that a New Bedford man was sentenced for violently assaulting a 72-year-old disabled man back in 2021.

Officials said after a three-day trial, 34-year-old Derrick Blakney was sentenced up to five years in state prison on charges of assault and battery on a person over the age of 60 causing serious bodily injury.

According to police, on May 20, 2021, they were called to a home on Ash Street for a reported assault.

They determined at around 9:30 p.m., that night, Blakney knocked on the victim’s door and asked to see a person named Lupe.

The victim’s wife answered the door and told Blakney that nobody by that name lived there, then went to tell the victim that Blakney was still on their front porch.

Authorities said the victim exited the home and asked Blakney why he was there, in response to which, Blakney shoved the victim off the porch.

Officials said Blakney then began kicking the victim multiple times until the victim’s son and neighbors restrained him until police arrived.

The 72-year-old victim suffered a broken nose, a broken maxillary bone in his face, a laceration, a chip fracture in his femur and bleeding and swelling to his face.

According to DA Quinn, Blakney was also previously convicted in connection to a shooting.