| Killing of Yao Pan Ma | |
|---|---|
 Undated photo of Ma | |
| Location | East Harlem,New York City, U.S. |
| Date | Attack: April 23, 2021; 4 years ago (2021-04-23) Ma's Death: December 31, 2021 (2021-12-31) |
Attack type | Murder bybeating,hate crime |
| Victim | Yao Pan Ma, aged 61 |
| Perpetrator | Jarrod Powell |
| Motive | Anti-Asian racism |
| Verdict | Pleaded guilty |
| Convictions | Manslaughter as ahate crime[a] |
| Filmed by | Surveillance video |
| Sentence | 22 years in prison |
| Yao Pan Ma | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 馬耀潘 | ||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 马耀潘[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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Yao Pan Ma, a 61-year-oldChinese American, was attacked on April 23, 2021, before he was declared dead 8 months later on December 31, as a result oftraumatic brain injury caused byblunt force trauma inflicted by 49-year-oldAfrican American Jarrod Powell, inEast Harlem, New York City, United States. The racist attack drew national attention as part of a rise inanti-Asian hate crimes in America.[2][3]
Ma and his wife Chen Baozhen (陈宝珍) moved to the United States in October 2018 fromTaishan,Guangdong, where Ma had worked as adim sum chef.[4][5] Ma worked at a restaurant in New York City until it closed permanently due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. As he had not worked long enough to qualify forunemployment benefits, Ma and his wife, who had also lost her job as a home health aide permanently,collected bottles and cans to make money to afford food.[6][7] With the couple's adult children and grandchildren still in China, they otherwise only received financial support from Chen's retired parents, who were both in their 90s and received a monthly total of $1000 inSocial Security.[8]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, there has been anuptick in racist incidents and bullying against Asian Americans. A few months prior to the attack against Ma, 84-year-old Thai-AmericanVicha Ratanapakdee died after being attacked inSan Francisco.[9]
On April 23, 2021, Ma was collecting cans alongThird Avenue and East125th Street inEast Harlem. Powell attacked Ma from behind and shoved him to the ground. After kicking Ma's head repeatedly, he fled the scene. A nearby surveillance camera showed the attacker stomping on Ma's head.[10]
Ma was moved in and out of multiple facilities during his time in the hospital and eventually died of cerebral hemorrhage in a long-term care center run byThe New Jewish Home on December 31, 2021.[11][12]
Jarrod Powell, a 49-year-old African American man fromNew York City was arrested. He was charged with attempted murder, bullying, felony assault andhate crime charges.[3][13] After Ma's death, his family called on the district attorney to upgrade the charges to murder.[14] Charges were later upgraded to second degree murder as a hate crime.[15]
On January 12, 2023, Powell pleaded guilty to manslaughter.[16] He was sentenced to 22 years in prison.[17]
The attack occurred in a wave of racially motivated attacks against Asian Americans nationwide.
On April 23, 2021, Jarrod Powell, a 50-year-old African American mercilessly attacked Yao Pan Ma, a 61-year-old Chinese immigrant in New York, USA. The victim died of a cerebral hemorrhage on the 31st December 2021. Powell was charged with two hate crime assaults and one attempted murder.
A year later, Vicha Ratanapakdee, an 84-year-old from Thailand, died after being pushed.
A family representative is now calling on the district attorney to upgrade the charges to murder.
| People | |||||
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| Deaths protested |
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