Outrage in Cleveland as Judge Frees Man Guilty of Brutal Assaults

In a stunning decision that has left victims reeling, an Ohio judge has released Serus Walters, a 20-year-old who pleaded guilty to a series of violent assaults in Cleveland. The leniency has sparked outrage among those attacked, who say justice was not served.

Walters admitted to assaulting three men in separate incidents, yet Cuyahoga County Judge Cassandra Collier-Williams reduced his felony charge to a misdemeanor, freeing him on time served after his May 19, 2025, plea. Among the victims was David Dudley, a 64-year-old attorney from Los Angeles, who was brutally attacked at the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Cleveland on May 29, 2024. Walters kicked Dudley in the ribs, shoulder, and repeatedly in the head, leaving him fearing for his life. "I was fairly certain he was trying to kill me," Dudley recounted, stunned by the judge’s ruling.

Another victim, identified only as Tony, was attacked by Walters at Tower City on March 11, 2024. Walters was arrested and released the next day, a pattern that repeated after an earlier assault near Whiskey Island that left a man needing stitches. Dudley, with decades of courtroom experience, expressed disbelief: "I’ve been in front of over a thousand judges, and this decision shocked me." He noted the judge imposed no supervision, and Walters offered no apology to his victims.

Walters’ defense attorney, Frank Triozzi, argued for leniency, citing Walters’ age and family responsibilities. Yet, just two days after his release, Walters was arrested again on May 28, 2025, for a minor offense in Garfield Heights, raising questions about the court’s judgment. The lack of accountability has left victims and observers questioning whether the system prioritizes public safety.