Police: Men beat jogger in retaliation of Zimmerman verdict

SENATOBIA, MS (WMC) - Police say three men assaulted a jogger in Mississippi Sunday in retaliation of the verdict given in the George Zimmerman trial.

Devin Dickey said he and his wife had just put their four-year-old daughter to sleep Sunday night when he decided to go out for a jog. Dickey said he stopped to stretch, and that is when three men in a car stopped and ordered him to get in.

"Everybody's worried. They're concerned what's going to happen to them ... If they're going to be ... by themselves in a parking lot alone," said Senatobia resident Rodney Besinger.

Residents of this north Mississippi town of around 8,000 people are worried about a jogger's claim that he was attacked in retaliation for the not guilty verdict in the Zimmerman trial.

Zimmerman was accused of second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Dickey said three men asked him a question he could not hear.

"I got closer to the car he told me to get in. I said no," said Dickey. "He looked at the driver and said get the ---- gun."

Dickey said he got in, and they drove around, then stopped and took him out of the car.

"He said, 'Do you know who Trayvon is?' I said, 'No,' thinking of somebody local. He said, 'Trayvon Martin.' I said 'Yes.' He said, 'I'm going to beat you ... For Trayvon.' "

Dickey says the men kicked and beat him in the head until he was unconscious. Photos of Dickey after the beating show bruises on his face.

He says when he woke up he called his wife. Police found him on the side of the road.

"I'm lucky I wasn't killed you know," said Dickey.

Investigators say it happened on Highway 51 Sunday night near the entrance of the Providence Place apartments.

Dickey went to the hospital and was treated for his wounds. He says he gave Senatobia police a good description of the three men.

Copyright 2013 WMC-TV. All rights reserved.