Man Wears Blackface And Gives Racist Rant In Court Before Road Rage Sentencing

A Hawaii man convicted of attempted murder and assault wore blackface and gave a racist rant falsely equating himself to a black man during a sentencing hearing Monday.

“The reason why I’m like this is because I prepared myself to play my part in your kangaroo court, treating me like a black man. So today, I’m going to be a black man,” Mark Char told Hawaii circuit court judge Todd Eddins, according to video from Honolulu’s CBS affiliate KGMB.

Local officials told KITV that Char appeared to have obtained a permanent marker to blacken his face. Wearing blackface is a racist practice designed to mock black people that originated during minstrel shows in the 1800s.

Before his court appearance, Char refused requests from officials at his prison to remove the black marker from his face, according to KITV.

Eddins sentenced Char to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

While driving on Hawaii’s H-1 freeway in 2016, Char attacked another driver and his passenger with pepper spray before stabbing them, severely wounding the driver. Char also assaulted a third person, who had tried to intervene in the road rage incident.

In court, Char claimed that the attack was self-defense.

He was convicted on three counts of attempted murder and assault earlier this year, before being sentenced Monday. 

Eddins told Char that his conduct on Monday “continues a pattern of disruptive behavior designed to undermine the administration of justice.”

“What you need to do is look in the mirror. And if you look in the mirror, Mr. Char, you’re not gonna see a black person,” Eddins said. “You’re gonna see a menace. You’re gonna see a menace to society.”