Louisiana Margaritaville Casino Site of Apparent Racial Attack — Video
Posted on: August 15, 2023, 09:23h.
Last updated on: August 16, 2023, 04:30h.
The identities of two individuals accused of assaulting a Black man in a Louisiana casino floor were revealed this week. During the confrontation, the women assaulted the victim, and a white man twice uttered a racial slur after he sat down at a slot machine near them.
USA Crime recently reported that the incident occurred at the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City. That location couldn’t be confirmed immediately by Casino.org.
The same report identified the white couple as Ashley and William Dison of Louisiana. Their names were posted widely on social media.
This week, the victim, Devon Leslie Jr., also identified the assailant as Ashley Bieber Dison on Facebook.
A video of the incident was posted by Tizzy Ent. It has gone viral and had 597.4K views as of Tuesday afternoon. An earlier video, posted by the victim, had 248K views as of this week.
“The story was that the woman got upset that a black man was sitting near her,” a poster identified as Tizzy Ent said in a tweet. “Or, as she put it, maybe an Arab.”
Racial Slurs Caught on Tape
During the confrontation, the couple uttered several racial slurs a the man.
The male accomplice told the victim, “Stop being a little bitch, you f*****g N****r.”
The man later repeated this statement.?At one point, Ashley Dison also called the victim an “Arabian.”
A casino employee allegedly asked the victim to stop recording. He refused.
This woman went off on me hit me in the face and kicked me in the back, because I sat to[o] close to her and her boyfriend so this is how I was treated,” Leslie said in the Facebook post.
Both suspects were arrested on August 3, he claimed. He alleges her charge was assault.
“I did absolutely nothing wrong, nor did I defend myself against them,” Leslie added. “Thanks to the Bossier City Police and the casino for standing up for me!”
The victim is apparently a veteran of the U.S. military.
Bossier City LA Who are they? pic.twitter.com/9uKHKWaZE9
— TizzyEnt (@TizzyEnt) August 14, 2023
Legal Scholar Disturbed
Southern University Professor of Law Angela Bell told Casino.org that the video “was deeply disturbing to me.” She noted the Black man at the casino lost his dignity in public after he could not sit near the whites. There were many similarities to the George Floyd murder, she added.
Bell, a legal scholar, took part in last year’s posthumous pardon ceremony of Homer A. Plessy by Gov. John Bel Edwards, D-La. Plessy was convicted of violating Louisiana’s Separate Car Act of 1890. The case went to the US Supreme Court, which set up the separate but equal legal doctrine in its ruling on Plessy vs. Ferguson.
She further stated that the casino incident was reminiscent of the attitudes during the separate but equal period.
When watching the video, Bell said the “rage” on the white woman’s face was also reminiscent of the anger of white women fighting against the civil rights movement.
Based on the initial video, she also questioned if the response by the apparent employee who was attempting to hold back the white woman was effective.
“She didn’t see the urgency,” Bell said. “She allowed it to go too far.”
Bell also questioned if the casino has released a statement on the incident. “Their silence speaks volumes.”
Casino.org contacted Penn Entertainment, the parent company of the reported casino, for comment. No immediate statement was provided.
Last Comments ( 17 )
Well i guess Ashley Dison thought she was in Montgomery Alabama she should have been because she would have got her a.. beat
I too would be irritated if some creep would be recording me.
Don’t patronize Margaritaville Resort Casino in Louisiana. Go to Atlantic City, NJ, many casinos there, not just a few and way north of the creepy Southern Belle Karen and Ken couple. Bless their hearts but most Southerners really don’t know how to behave graciously and rationally in public.
I have written to the husband's William Dison's employer. There has been no public response to the viral video. The video is disgusting. To live in America as a Black is a challenge. Racism is alive and well.
Professor Bell, is not the only one disturbed by the actions of this racist couple. Many others are; Black, white and everyone in between. How humiliating this must be for the family of this couple to have their racist mentality exposed in this manner. Their parents lack of parental skills in the poor up bringing of their children, as well as their own offspring, who must face the embarrassment and harassment they must face from their playmates and/classmates. As a parent I would certainly not allow my children to associate with children who are obviously being raised by parents who are obviously stuck in the Jim Crow time warp. Stand your ground Professor Bell. This world needs more educators like you to direct our young people on the path of humanity and righteousness.
Humans being sh1tty to each other is sadly all to common. But the rage, bigotry and hate being spewed by Ms. Dison is entirely down to her being white racist trash. Her husband is a stereotypical white racist bully a$$hat. If they don't drive a lifted 4x4 truck, I'd be surprised. The video is clear; there is 'no other side' to the story. The attack was provoked by nothing other than white racist umbrage. I do sincerely hope they were arrested and charged, and moreover face other life consequences for their behavior. Job loss, public shaming and police records are well deserved by both.
Paul L another side to the story? I don’t care what “side” you’re looking for. Absolutely no excuse for this level of ignorance and stupidity. Why are you searching for a gaslighting opportunity? People like you are the reason this is still happening.
These comments (“what’s the other side” “this isn’t about race”) are despicable. Especially on such a great (albeit brief) article that took the time to consult Professor Angela Bell.
Paul is an idiot.
Cat, sorry sweetie, but I have not seen any women but White women attack Black men because they are Black. Black women, Asian women, Hispanic women, no other woman has the power to cause the death of Black people with a word, with an accusation. No one is saying that White women are the only ones who act ignorant at times, but there are some behaviors that are unique to White women. There are some behaviors that our purposeful. We don't say "Black women's tears, because the tears of a Black woman have no power. We say "White woman's tears" because they know how powerful the stereotype is. Even at work, everyone starts running for the door when a White woman cries because she can get you fired. History is filled with White women causing the deaths of Black men and some Black women. In 1951, Willa Jean Boswell tearfully recounted her fear when she saw Matt Ingram looking at her from across a field. He was sentenced to two years in jail for “reckless eyeballing.”
Paul L, sincere question..what other side could there possibly be? Despicable.
There is no "other side of the story". Being drunk doesn't make you say racist things, being a racist does. If your racism filter tends to malfunction when you consume alcohol, stay home. I'm glad my parents moved us from the south to the west when we kids in the 70's... I know incidents such as this still happen, but I hear about much less.
We know the other side of the story. Drunk, white and ignorant.
I am going to comment because THIS BEHAVIOR is unacceptable for ANYONE. I'm honestly not throwing stones, but too many women of color behave this way also. It is NOT ok. Black, white, brown, turquoise. This is a PEOPLE problem. My OPINION. Feel free to disagree.
Maybe there is another side to the story.