***UPDATED SEPT. 5TH*** Arrest made in brutal videotaped attack of 83-year-old in Santa Ana

UPDATE

October 5, 2015

See original report below

Suspect charged in brutal unprovoked beating of 83-year-old

Written by Trevor Montgomery
For hemeteyenews.com



Santa Ana, Calif.; On Tuesday, September 29, 2015, Demarrea Chante Barnes, 29-year-old transient, accused of brutally beating a 83-year-old Tuyen Nguyen in Santa Ana, pleaded not guilty in court and was appointed a public defender 

Barnes entered his plea of not guilty in spite of surveillance video that shows him viciously attacking Nguyen, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly punching and kicking him in the face, after Nguyen was knocked to the ground, dazed, bloodied and critically injured.At around 6:10 a.m. Friday morning, Nguyen had been on his daily walk to purchase a newspaper and coffee at one of his favorite local restaurants in the 5000 block of West Edinger Avenue, when he was savagely attacked without warning or provocation as he walked along a strip of businesses near the restaurant.

Several members of Barnes' family spoke to Eyewitness News and said Barnes has a history of being mentally unstable and they've asked the courts to help him for years. Shay Palmer, Barnes' cousin stated, "He suffers from mental illness, and he's been suffering from mental illness and has never got the proper treatment." Barnes' great aunt, Wilda Wright told Eyewitness News, "This is not the Demarrea we know, not the one we raised. This is not him. We send our deepest condolences. We just want to say we're sorry and we apologize and we pray that (Nguyen) gets better."

A records check revealed Barnes has a lengthy criminal history, including being incarcerated at three different California state prisons for drug possession in 2005 and 2008, and assault on a peace officer with injury in 2012.

For now, Nguyen remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition and is expected to be released soon to a skilled nursing facility for further care.

A pretrial settlement conference is set for October 7. If convicted, Barnes faces a maximum sentence of 13 years in state prison. Barnes' bail has been set at $100,000.

ORIGINAL STORY

Arrest made in brutal videotaped attack of 83-year-old in Santa Ana

Written by Trevor Montgomery

For hemeteyenews.com

Santa Ana, Calif.; On Saturday, September 26, 2015, an arrest was made in the brutal beating of an 83-year-old man in Santa Ana. The savage and unprovoked attack occurred on the previous Friday morning at approximately 6:10 a.m.

Reports from the Santa Ana Police Department obtained by Hemet Eye News indicated Tuyen Nguyen, a resident of Santa Ana was on his normal daily walk to purchase the morning newspaper and and a cup of coffee at a favorite restaurant in the 5000 block of West Edinger Avenue Friday morning at just after six in the morning.

Still from Security Camera Footage 

As Nguyen neared his destination he was viciously attacked without warning or provocation while walking along a strip of stores. Fortunately, the brutal assault was caught on surveillance video from one of the local businesses.

Nguyen was transported to a local area hospital and was listed in critical condition. He suffered substantial injuries including a brain hemorrhage and broken eye socket. 

After receiving numerous tips from local residents and business owners, police identified and arrested 29-year-old Demarrea Chante Barnes, in Anaheim. Booking records listed Barnes as a transient.

Barnes was booked on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm and assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury. Further additional charges could be brought against Barnes by the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

The security video footage, which is very disturbing and violent, can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OsD7grT91Y

Contact the writer: trevor.hemeteyenews@gmail.com