Today, six police constables were charged for wounding 35 year old Elvin Torres. It happened on Sunday morning after the electrical mechanic had the misfortune of driving up to the mile 3 police checkpoint just as unknown forces were shooting at the booth.
The constables who have been charged are 32 year old Kareem Fuller; 38 year old Fernando Franzua; 23 year old Tyrone Baizar; 28 year old Mark Martinez; 28 year old Glennwayne Grant and 35 year old Henry Nunez.
They pleaded not guilty and were released on bails of one thousand dollars each. Their case was adjourned until July fourteenth.
So, they've been charged - and you might think that the battered Elvin Torres who appeared on the news two nights ago would be happy. Well, he's not. In fact he's angry; he was in court today and he told us why today.
Elvin Torres, Not Pleased With Charges
"I am not happy for seeing them at court. I am not happy for being there myself, I am worst not happy for hearing them say not guilty in the court. The Police Department did not call me to ID parade the officers that were working that night. They did not give me any information at all. They were supposed to call and let me identify the guys that did this to me. I am not stupid Jules, I know what they are doing to try to cover up so I don't sue the Department. They are trying to give me a little comfort. This for me is not wounding, because I still cannot see correct. I still have headaches. The only ones i know is the ones that is staying in my head forever, what they did to me. I remembered how I fought for my life that night, helplessly handcuffed, repeatedly stomped in my head to the concrete. This is not wounding Jules, They attempted to kill me. I am an innocent bystander, they had a gun to my head while stomping me.
They went to the court and say not guilty. The case will far apart Jules, they know that I am not there friend no more, These guys will meet me on the streets one of these days and try to hurt me again. I am from the school of hard knocks so this will heal. I've been in fights, I won some and I lost some. Obviously this one I don't want to lose because I am not happy. Right now I am looking for someone to take up my case and I will civil suit the Department. I didn't want to be public enemy to the police. But this is what I have to do because I need medical attention, I am not working. I have 4 kids and you know something, they have change all of that today by coming up to me and say "Mr. Torres I am very sorry of what happen to you that night, we were confuse and did the wrong thing" I would have felt a comfort Jules. I would have tell them don't worry about that, because I don't have the time to mess around with you anyway. I would have gotten back to my work and that charge would have drop. I would have had comfort in my heart that those guys apologized to me.
But they don't want to do that, my life don't means anything to them Jules. Now that I am talking about my rights, the police have to be my enemy because they will not like me. I am a sore that is not going anywhere."
Torres has still not been able to return to work and says friends helped him pay for a CATSCAN. Police have still not offered him any kind of compensation.
