Michael Eugene Hall
Michael Eugene Hall, 67, was arrested after court documents allege he struck a child 61 times with a belt “all over his body” last Wednesday. On Friday, law enforcement received a report that a child said Hall had beat him 57 times with a belt and that there was video of the incident.
Police spoke to the victim at school and interviewed the child victim. The child confirmed the report, and identified Hall as the suspect.
Photographs taken after the incident showed marks to the child’s buttocks, upper arm, chest, torso, neck, and face. There were also seven video files produced from a cell phone.
The court document said 24 strikes could be heard in one video. Over the course of seven videos, the detective counted 61 strikes. Police spoke with other relatives who were present who confirmed what the video showed, and court documents said they “were concerned for his safety.” They also said the victim was not allowed to leave the kitchen table except to go to the bathroom for the last three days.
Police responded to the residence and arrested Hall. Police said Hall admitted to striking the child with the belt 20 times before noticing the child’s pants were still “fixed.” He said he continued to hit the child with the belt because the child was fighting him. Police said Hall initially denied striking the child in the face, but they said he changed his story and said he “slapped him” and said he went too far.
The victim said he had been confined to the kitchen table for the last three days. Detectives photographed the victim and observed swelling on both sides of the child’s face, as well as bruises all over the body.
Hall, of 7342 Sims Road, Harrison, was then charged with aggravated assault and aggravated child abuse.