A Miami Lakes attorney has been charged with aggravated battery on a person 65 or older after an incident involving an elderly victim. Phillip Ortiz, 38, now faces legal scrutiny following his arrest, with very few details currently made public, as per NBC6.
The altercation reportedly occurred on a Norwegian cruise ship which docked at Port Miami, where Ortiz was taken into custody last Saturday. While immediate specifics about the encounter on the cruise remain scarce, the underlying charge implies a breach of the trust we afford those who practice law and are expected to upstand the rights of individuals, including the vulnerable elderly. WSVN reports that victim of the alleged attack has been hospitalized, though their exact condition has not been disclosed.
Miami-Dade Jail records indicate the arrest, but facts about the arrest remain limited. The FBI is now involved and investigating the incident, as Miami Police told NBC6. Meanwhile, Florida Bar records confirm that Ortiz was admitted to practice law in the state since 2012 and retains eligibility to do so, presenting a potential clash between his professional status and the legal system he operates within.
