Joliet man convicted in eye-gouging attack on elderly uncle

August 9

Exulam Holman, 33.

JOLIET – Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced today that that a jury on Thursday found a Joliet man guilty of aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery of a senior citizen for gouging the eyes of his elderly uncle.

Exulam Holman, 33, of 1130 McKay, Joliet was found guilty after a jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes. He faces a between 3 and 14 years in prison when he is sentenced by Circuit Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak on October 11.

On this past New Year’s Eve, Holman and his elderly uncle, Melvin Clifford, fought over a missing remote television control at their residence. An argument ensued after Clifford asked Holman about the missing remote, according to testimony. Holman initially pushed his uncle down some stairs. When Clifford came back up the stairs, Holman pushed him down, pinned him to the ground by placing his knees on his uncle’s shoulders and gouged his eyes by pushing his thumbs into the sockets.

As a result of this brutal attack, Clifford lost one eye and has limited vision in the other. Despite the injuries he sustained, Clifford was able to call 911 on the night of the attack. 

The victim is a veteran who served in Vietnam. On the night of the attack, there were numerous people in the house. None of them cooperated with police during the investigation.

“Exulam Holman brutally attacked his elderly uncle for no apparent reason,” State’s Attorney Glasgow said. “A prison sentence is critical to punish this act of extraordinary savagery against a senior citizen and a veteran.” 

Glasgow credited Assistant State’s Attorneys Daniel Walsh and Heather Meyers for securing this important conviction against a volatile criminal.