Vauhxx Booker, a human rights activist who is Black, was charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a felony, in Monroe Circuit Court on Friday, according to reporting from the Herald-Times.
On July 4, 2020, Booker alleged he was physically attacked and had racial slurs yelled at him at Lake Monroe by a group of individuals.
The charges against Booker were filed by special prosecutor Sonia Leerkamp, who was appointed after Monroe County Prosecutor Erika Oliphant recused herself from the case.
After the incident took place at Lake Monroe, Oliphant charged Sean Purdy, one of the men who Booker alleges attacked him, with three felonies: criminal confinement with bodily injury, battery with moderate injury and intimidation. She then charged Purdy’s friend, Jerry Cox, with two felonies, aiding, inducing or causing criminal confinement and battery as well as three misdemeanors, two counts of battery and intimidation.
Oliphant did not charge Booker before recusing herself from the case.
A 68-page Indiana Department of Natural Resources report recommended the charging of all three men following the encounter at Lake Monroe.
