DETROIT—Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson this week condemned the attacks on Steven Utash, the Clinton Township man who was severely beaten by a mob of people April 2 after he accidently hit a child with his car and stopped to help the 10-year-old.  

Jackson this week said the attacks were driven by “hatred,”  “alienation” and “desperation.” Since the incident occurred, Jackson, along with civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton, have been criticized on social media for not immediately condemning it. Many believe if the victim were black, the two would have reacted differently and probably held protests in Detroit. 

Jackson told the Detroit News that he did not get involved earlier because he was in Japan at the time the incident occurred. Utash, 54, is still being hospitalized. Utash is uninsured, and it costs about $20,000 a day to keep his care ongoing. About $145,000 has been donated to him through an online Go Fund Me account. Arrests have been made in connection to the case.