Georgia man Martin Blackwell who poured boiling water on sleeping gay men found guilty; gets 40 years in jail

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — The Georgia man who poured hot water on two gay men in February while they were sleeping was found guilty on Wednesday.

Martin Blackwell, 48, was convicted on eight counts of aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated assault, according to WSB-TV. The two men, Marquez Tolbert and Anthony Gooden, both 21, suffered second and third-degree bus in the attack.

The incident occurred when Blackwell, who was the boyfriend of Gooden’s mother, walked in on the couple sleeping together and poured boiling hot water on them.

Tolbert spent 10 days in the hospital and Gooden was there for more than a month.

Tolbert said that he believes the incident happened because they were gay.

”Why else would you pour boiling hot water on somebody? Tolbert asked, according to WSB-TV.

Blackwell received  20 years in jail for the aggravated assault charges and 20 years for the aggravated battery charges.