SNOW HILL — Another suspect connected to a serious incident on the Boardwalk last year plead guilty last week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 10 years, all but seven of which were suspended.
Last June 9 between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to two serious assaults on the Boardwalk, including one at 11th Street and one at 15th Street. In the 15th Street incident, the victim was stabbed in the back. In the 11th Street incident, an innocent victim was attacked by a large group of individuals. Members of the same group were responsible for both assaults.
One of the suspects, later identified as Marquis Demby, 22, of Lincoln, Del., was apprehended soon after the incident at 15th Street. A knife used in the stabbing incident was recovered during his arrest. In November, Demby pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Last week, another suspect, Marcus Butler, 27, of Cambridge, Md., pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 10 years, all but seven of which were suspended. Butler was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon release.
In March, another suspect in the Boardwalk incident last June, Orlando Nichols, 20, of Cambridge, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 10 years, with all but six years suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon release. In November, Davione Cephas, 20, of Cambridge, also pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for his role in the incident and was sentenced to 10 years with all but six years suspended. A fifth suspect pleaded guilty in April to second-degree assault and his sentencing is set for May 26.
Around 10:15 p.m. on June 9, officers responded to the area of 11th Street and the Boardwalk for a reported assault. Arriving officers found the victim slumped over on the Boardwalk and bleeding from several wounds on his face and head. Bystanders reportedly told police the victim had been assaulted by as many as 10 male suspects.
The victim was bleeding from his right eye, his mouth and his ears, according to police reports. Ocean City EMS responded and treated the victim at the scene before he was eventually transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center. An OCPD detective went to PRMC to interview the victim, who said he was attacked and punched several times until he fell to the ground. Once the victim was on the ground, members of the group began kicking and stomping him until he lost consciousness, according to police.
Detectives reviewed surveillance video, received calls and emails and even a link to a Youtube video to identify the suspects and begin making arrests. Two other suspects were arrested in connection with the 11th Street beatdown, including Sincere Sorrell, 18, of Cambridge, and Cortez Murray, 23, of Easton. In March, Murray pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and sentencing has been set for June 4. Sorrell is expected to appear for trial on June 17.
A video obtained by the OCPD allegedly showed Murray and Sorrell kicking and stomping on the victim while the victim lied motionless on the Boardwalk. The video also shows Butler allegedly picking up an object and throwing it at the victim while he lied unconscious.
A separate video showing a different angle of the attack allegedly showed Nichols kick the victim in the head at least three times in a stomping motion. The same video allegedly shows Cephas kicking the victim in the head two or three times while he was defenseless and unconscious on the Boardwalk. The video also allegedly shows Spencer striking the victim in the head with a skateboard at least two times, while also kicking the victim in the head.
