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Senator's son convicted of battery on police officer
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 28, 2007
ORLANDO - A jury on Wednesday convicted the son of Sen. Bill Nelson on charges of battery on a police officer and resisting arrest stemming from an incident that occurred after a re-election party in November.
Charles William Nelson, 31, faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison but could also get no jail time. Sentencing was scheduled for July 31 by Orange County Circuit Judge Stan Strickland.
"While we are disappointed with the verdict, we respect our system of justice, " said Sen. Nelson and his wife, Grace, in a statement issued in Washington. "And we love our son and support him during this difficult time in his life."
Jurors deliberated just a few hours Wednesday before returning the verdict. A misdemeanor charge of public intoxication was thrown out by Strickland, who said no evidence was introduced to support it.
The incident took place a few hours after a party to celebrate the Nov. 7 victory by Sen. Nelson, a Democrat, over Republican Katharine Harris.
Police say the younger Nelson was trying to carry a woman who had passed out on a sidewalk and pushed an officer after he was ordered to put her down. The senator's son was pepper-sprayed and handcuffed by police.
The younger Nelson, who declined comment after the verdict was announced, did not testify in his own defense. But his lawyers argued to the jury that Nelson did not recognize the person he pushed was a police officer because he was wearing a bicycle patrol uniform rather than a standard uniform.
Nelson lives in Washington and is a Medicare/Medicaid consultant.
[Last modified June 28, 2007, 00:25:29]
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by lost
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06/29/07 04:07 PM
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Torture is legal. Why was Nelson's son arrested? Kidnapping, coercion, bribes, physical attacks are all legal in the US and around the world where the US has a presence. What did Nelson's son do wrong? False imprisonmet and reports are legal.
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by Tom D
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06/29/07 04:20 AM
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Everyone in this country should have to go to work as , and wear the uniform of a Police Officer to see what their life is truly like. as for the senators son , the punishment should be a couple of weeks as a police officer to appreciate compliance.
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by Mary
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06/28/07 07:16 PM
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I wonder what the state offered before taking the case to trial. I think battery without serious injury (pushing) would usually get probation.
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by Consequences
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06/28/07 03:31 PM
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I guess we all have our crosses to bear but does the punishment fit the crime? No excuse for drinking like that.
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by Barbara
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06/28/07 12:15 PM
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Wow! This is the first I've heard about this. Where was the St. Pete Times tabloid journalist for this article? Certainly it's deserving of a series of articles about senators sons and police brutality!
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by Jeff
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06/28/07 12:13 PM
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I hope the Times follows up on his sentancing, I fear the good senator may use his influence to get his son off with no prison time.
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by Belinda
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06/28/07 12:00 PM
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His father doesn't deserve to be one of Florida's U. S. Senators. If the media had not discriminated against me by refusing to fairly cover my campaign for U. S. Senate, Belinda Noah would be Florida's U. S. Senator instead of Bill Nelson.
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by Joe
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06/28/07 11:58 AM
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Another "celerity" caught in public. The story as told to the jury, is missing here. How can we comment except to say that, lately, those with silver spoons are being put on the rack. Are they all bad? Motorcycle cops tend to be "Napoleonic".
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by Kevin
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06/28/07 10:56 AM
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Oh please, they never would have even pressed charges if he weren't a Senator's son. This is so ridiculous. Anyone who believes a cop's version of events without corroboration is a fool.
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by Barbara
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06/28/07 10:50 AM
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He should get the same sentence you or I would get. He should NOT get special treatment. It would not do him any good to just walk away with no time. He needs to learn a HARD lesson.
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by Not surprising
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06/28/07 10:49 AM
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Typical of a liberal, Democrat upbringing.
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by Mike
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06/28/07 10:46 AM
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'...battery on a police officer and resisting arrest stemming'.... These are serious charges.
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by Mark
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06/28/07 10:05 AM
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Give it a break....he's 31 years old. Does he or does he not have the capacity to know better, that's the question. Being Bill Nelson's son is irrelevant. You don't get pepper sprayed for being an innocent bystander. Like Paris Hilton do the time
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by John
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06/28/07 10:02 AM
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Just what is a Medicare/Medicaid consultant-a cushy job his Daddy got for him?
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by Flagg
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06/28/07 09:25 AM
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The Nelson family does not avoid responsibility, in fact they acknowlege that their elected office standing requires them to be even more responsible. Billy went through the same judicial process as any citizen uder similar circumstances. Good people
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by rich
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06/28/07 08:57 AM
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Works for Medicare/Medicaid as a consultant? WOW! The healthcare system is broken because the good ole boys are getting rich at our expense.
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by JT
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06/28/07 08:52 AM
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If this was the son of a Republican Senator I suspect he would have been refered to as one of those evil profit protecting health care industry lobbyist who is trading off of the family name peddling at least one Key vote. This is too much. What B.S.
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by Dee
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06/28/07 08:46 AM
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Not that I condone this, but there must be more to this for him to be convicted and face 6 years in prison.
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by Tom
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06/28/07 07:02 AM
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This is sad, here is a young man who ruin his life,because he tought he could get away with his actions, being a senator's son
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by david
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06/28/07 05:25 AM
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"Nelson lives in Washington and is a Medicare/Medicaid consultant" says it all.
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News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
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