Grits used as attempted murder weapon

Raider Bill · June 20, 2014, 07:56:08 AM

Grits Used as Deadly Weapon in Attempted Murder Case, Cops Say

The Orlando Police Department charged a man with attempted second-degree murder after they say he used the popular Southern breakfast side dish as a weapon in an argument with a neighbor.

A neighborhood dispute turned messy June 18 when Orlando police say a 60-year-old man used a scalding pot of grits as a weapon, causing second- and third-degree burns over 30 percent of his victim's body.

The dispute between Edward Holley, 60, and Darryl Blacknell, 29, ended in Holley's arrest on attempted second-degree murder charges, Orange County Jail records indicate. The argument between the two neighbors began on Tuesday, June 17, and ended that day with Holley telling Blacknell to stay away or he'd "throw grease on him," WESH.com reported.

Blacknell, however, didn't stay away and the dispute picked back up again on Wednesday. When Holley found Blacknell on his porch playing cards, he went back into his home, heated up some grits, came out and threw them on his unsuspecting neighbor.

"Blacknell stated that the pain was horrible and he began screaming and running away from the house," the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Orlando police say the attempted murder charge was warranted due to the severity of Blacknell's injuries. He faces a lengthy recovery and is likely to remain hospitalized for some time, WESH.com reported.

As police were placing Holley under arrest, he told them "next time I'm going to kill him," WESH.com said.

Holley remained in the Orlando County Jail June 19 with a $50,000 bond, according to jail records.