August 27 – Charges have been dropped against Colombian FA chief and FIFA Council member Ramón Jesurún more than a month after he and his son were arrested in the chaos that unfolded at the Copa America final in Miami.
Michael Band, an attorney for the 71-year-old Jesurún, said prosecutors decided to drop the felony battery charges after carefully considering the evidence. Charges remain against Jesurún’s son, Ramon Jesurún Jr., who is scheduled to go on trial in November.
A Conmebol vice-president, Ramon Snr was among 27 people detained during the crowd control debacle that marred the final between Argentina and Colombia.
The father and son were arrested after allegedly fighting with a security guard just after the end of a game that was delayed by 82 minutes as spectators stormed the gates at the home of the NFL Miami Dolphins, with fans pushed to the ground and others even trying to sneak into the stadium through air-conditioning ducts.
Jesurún and his son both faced three counts of felony battery on an official but the charges were dropped against the father after Miami-Dade prosecutors said video evidence didn’t show him attacking anyone. One of the security guards who he allegedly hit apparently failed to speak with state attorneys.
“You’re ending my career in soccer,” Jesurun is reported to have told police in Spanish as he was being handcuffed.
Band said Monday that Jesurún Sr. was actually the one who was assaulted.
“Very appreciative that the state took the time to review the facts and circumstances as well as listen to myself identifying what we believe happened where we believe the incident had its start when Senor Jesurún Sr. was assaulted by security,” Band said.
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