A black college student from Chicago whose bloody arrest outside a Virginia bar earlier this year sparked national attention said Thursday he’s relieved and motivated to promote change after criminal charges lodged against him were dropped.
Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney David Chapman said Thursday that he made the decision to drop the charges after reviewing results of a state police investigation into Martese Johnson’s arrest. But he said the findings do not warrant charges against the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control officers who arrested Johnson.
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“It’s a good day,” Johnson told the Chicago Sun-Times by phone. “I was really excited, and besides being excited, I was just very motivated to have this opportunity to prove that in a society where this happens very frequently, some justice can be served. I’m happy my situation was one to do that.”
Life was put on hold for Johnson, 20, after his March 18 arrest outside a Charlottesville bar. Johnson, a Kenwood Academy High School graduate, was stopped by a bouncer and pulled away from the bar to speak with Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control officers.
“As the officers held me down, one thought raced through my mind: how could this happen?” Johnson said in a statement after the arrest. “I trust the scars will one day heal, but the trauma of what the officers did will stay with me forever.”
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As police held Johnson, his friend Bryan Beaubrun snapped his photo, which showed Johnson’s bloody face. In a video of the arrest, Johnson appears to be saying, “I go to UVA, I go to UVA, I go to UVA, you f——, I go to UVA you f——, you f——, racists!” Meanwhile, an officer can be heard telling him to “stop fighting” and to put his hands behind his back.
Johnson’s lawyer said Johnson needed 10 stitches in his head. Johnson was charged on two counts: obstruction of justice without force, and public swearing or intoxication, Charlottesville General District Court records show.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe ordered the state police investigation and retraining for the liquor agency’s approximately 130 law enforcement officers. He also established a task force to review ABC practices and make recommendations by Nov. 1. Among the issues being considered by the panel is whether ABC should be stripped of its arrest powers.
Johnson’s arrest also sparked a student movement, as 500 students demanded answers during a forum at U.Va. two days after the incident. Dissatisfied with responses they considered too broad, representatives of a black students’ organization shouted in unison, “Answer the question we asked.” They marched out before the event was over with their fists raised, chanting, “Black lives matter.”
Months after the arrest, Johnson says he remembers how overwhelmed he felt. But now he sees the situation as a way to promote change. And he said he’s thankful for all the support he received from his family and friends in Chicago and his mentors at Kenwood Academy.
“While it was an overwhelming situation, it sort of has now given me the opportunity to connect with these different communities and groups and move forward with a cause,” Johnson said. “Black lives matter and the movement has finally reached an international audience. I think this is the time we sort of take advantage of that and promote as much change as possible.
He plans to visit Chicago this summer to speak at a Kappa Leadership Institute event.
Contributing: AP
