Chicago student bloodied in Virginia arrest won't be prosecuted

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Prosecutors dropped charges against Martese Johnson, a black college student from Chicago whose bloody arrest outside a Virginia bar made national news and prompted a state police investigation, officials announced Thursday. Officials said they also determined the officers involved should not be criminally charged.
The commonwealth attorney's office for the city of Charlottesville filed a court order stating it will not further prosecute Johnson, a University of Virginia student, on misdemeanor charges of obstruction of justice without force and public swearing or intoxication.
The charges stemmed from Johnson's March 18 arrest outside a bar in Charlottesville. Johnson, a graduate of Kenwood Academy High School on Chicago's South Side, was tackled and arrested by an Alcohol Beverage Control agent after the student was refused entry into the bar. The arresting officer said Johnson "was very agitated and belligerent," according to the arrest report.
Johnson, who was 20 at the time, needed several stitches after his arrest, according to his attorney Daniel Watkins.
Prosecutors informed Watkins Thursday morning of their decision to drop the charges against Johnson. When Watkins passed the news along to Johnson, "he was truly ecstatic," Watkins said.
"It has been our position all along that the Virginia ABC officers were not justified in their treatment of Mr. Johnson," Watkins said in a statement.
Shortly after the incident, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe called for the state police to conduct an independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arrest. On Thursday, Commonwealth Attorney Dave Chapman said the case serves as "an opportunity to engage ordinary citizens, law enforcement officers, and public officials in constructive dialogue concerning police and citizen relationships in a diverse community."
"In reaching this decision the Commonwealth also found that the evidence did not warrant criminal charges against law enforcement officers who were involved in the events of March 18th," Chapman said in a statement.
There is expected to be a public meeting on the evidence in the case as it pertains to the commonwealth's decision next week at Charlottesville City Hall.

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