By Debra Haight
Herald Palladium
NILES — Body slamming a Berrien County Sheriff’s deputy inside the county jail proved not a good idea for a Niles youth, now headed to prison for more than three years.
Elbert Leon Briggs IV, 18, of Poplar Street pleaded guilty Monday to felony charges of resisting and obstructing police and assault of a prison/jail employee and a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery. He received a 16-month prison term for resisting and obstructing a police officer, a 38-month prison term for assault of a prison/jail employee and credit for time served for assault and battery.
“I don’t know what causes you to react violently, but there’s an old saying that those who live by the sword die by the sword,” Berrien Trial Court Judge Dennis Wiley told Briggs during sentencing “Eventually there’s always someone bigger or someone with a bigger gun. You are throwing away the basic intelligence you have.”
The assault and battery occurred Sept. 23 in Niles, the resisting and obstructing Oct. 27 in Niles Township and the assault of a prison/jail employee Feb. 15.
Full story: Attack on jail guard leads to prison time for Niles youth