Last week, we found 61 year old Elario (Hilario) Eligio at the KHMH recovering from a beating police put on him. He told us that the police pounced on him when they were trying to pick up his son Frank Eligio. Well tonight, CIB boss Chester Williams says there's another side to that story: he says Eligio has been a repeated nuisance to police, and as an older man, Williams says he should respect authority.
ASP Chester Williams,
“Police went to detain Eligio, which is Frank the son. The father
came out of the house and punched up one of the police officers which is outright assault. The police officers were right to defend themselves. He was informed of the offense committed, of assaulting a police officer. He was placed under arrest and when they attempted to put him in vehicle, he again started a brawl with the police officers, refusing to get into the vehicle. Now the law is telling you that police must use force necessary to get the person to the police station and to place the person under arrest and the police used force necessary to get him into the vehicle and get him to the police station.”
Jules Vasquez,
This is a 61-year-old man, how much force could have been necessary to subdue him?
ASP Chester Williams,
“Well the amount of force that was used, I don’t believe that he was beaten bad or beaten any at all rather than force being used to get him inside the vehicle. And the fact that he is a 61-year-old man then he must learn to act his age. He must learn to respect the law and respect police officers. Even the Bible tells you, you must respect people in authority. But seemingly he has no respect for authority.”
Eligio was charged for obstruction of justice, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer. The beating handed down by the police was classified as harm at the hospital. Eligio says he will pursue legal action against the department.
