Inmate attacks Merced man who’s accused of murdering 9-month-old baby
The man accused of shooting and killing 9-month-old baby Darius King Grigsby was attacked by another inmate in Merced County Superior Court on Thursday.
Details about the attack are preliminary. Daevon Motshwane, 18, was in the courtroom for his arraignment hearing when the attack happened.
The inmate who attacked Motshwane, James C. McRae, was handcuffed and punched at the back of the defendant’s head. A deputy intervened and took the attacker to the ground. The deputy appeared to strike him once while he was on the ground.
Other deputies also ran to help subdue the attacker.
McRae is charged with murder for allegedly stabbing to death a 40-year-old man in June 2021.
Court resumed about 15 minutes later.
Footage of the attack was captured by CBS 47.
Members of the victim’s family were in court when the attack happened. “He deserves every little bit that comes to him,” said the baby’s aunt Elena Perez. “If the other person wasn’t in handcuffs, he would have got beat up.”
The baby’s mother Monica Ayala said seeing the defendant in court made her blood boil. Ayala said she had also known the defendant prior to the shooting. “I grew up with him. I went to school with him. I went to parties with him,” Ayala said. “It hurts me knowing that the boy I had fun with hurt me inside, deeply.”
Motshwane was recently arrested after the 9-month-old baby was being walked in a stroller by his mother and accompanied by a male friend during the afternoon of Nov. 9.
Then a burgundy Chevrolet Trailblazer pulled up near them and the shooter opened fire.
Baby Darius was struck by at least one bullet and died at the scene, Merced police said.
Merced police said the baby was not the intended target of the shooting but police do believe the shots were meant for the mother’s male friend.
A 17-year-old male, who is believed to be the driver, was also arrested.
Motshwane is accused of murder, along with two counts of attempted homicide and gang enhancement charges.
