The president of the Colombian Football Federation who was arrested on a battery charge at the Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium last month is no longer facing charges. The charges were dropped against 71-year-ol Ramón Jesurún Sr. on Monday.
The president of the Colombian Football Federation who was arrested for battery at the Copa America final at Hard Rock Stadium last month is no longer facing charges.
The charges were dropped against 71-year-ol Ramón Jesurún Sr. on Monday after Miami-Dade prosecutors said video evidence didn't show him attacking anyone, and one of the security guards at the stadium in Miami Gardens who he allegedly hit apparently failed to speak with state attorneys.
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His son, 43-year-old Ramón Jesurún Jr., is still facing charges of aggravated battery and misdemeanor battery.
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The father and son had been accused of attacking security guards following Colombia's loss to Argentina at the Copa America final on July 14.
The two men were arrested after allegedly confronting a security guard that had been instructed to hold back the crowd from entering the section of the tunnel where media was gathering.
Arrest reports said Jesurún Sr. pushed the guard, and then Jesurún Jr. grabbed him around his neck and pulled him to the ground, punching him twice.
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“Mr. Jesurún Jr. (defendant) then aggressively reapproached [the victim], who was still laying on his back on the ground, and Mr. Jesurún Jr. directed a direct kick to [the victim’s] head, which made a solid impact,” the arrest reports said.
The fight continued when another security guard attempted to assist and Jesurún Jr. allegedly raised a closed fist at her and started to grab, push and pull her, the reports said.
Then, a security supervisor approached, and Jesurún Jr. allegedly punched him. Meanwhile, the suspect's father was trying to become involved while friends held him back, the reports said.
Police bodycam footage showed the arrest of Jesurún Sr.
“You’re ending my career in soccer," he told police in Spanish as he was being handcuffed.
The father and son were booked into jail and later released.
"It was totally unfair," Jesurún Jr. told reporters after he was released. "And again, hey, we’re humans, and anything can happen, but they started it first. It was ridiculous, we had the credentials, the official credentials, so it was ridiculous."
Defense attorney Michael Band said Monday that Jesurún Sr. was 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.
Police said more than two dozen people were arrested at the stadium as fans without tickets tried to get inside.
Cellphone video showed unruly fans pushed through security guards and law enforcement personnel to enter the stadium. Additional video showed a separate incident in which fans crawled into stadium vents.
