The black University of Virginia student that was brutally injured by white Alcohol and Beverage Commission officers in March for public intoxication was not actually drunk. Richmond Free Press reports that in an unreleased police report, commissioned by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, the ABC agents stated that they did not believe Martese Johnson was intoxicated and had only suspected that he was using a false identification card. The police report has also shown that Johnson did cooperate with police and showed them his identification card before he was slammed to the ground.
“We have already reviewed the reports from the arresting ABC agents and the local police on the scene, and our position remains that the (agents) lacked legal justification to arrest or brutalize young Martese,” said Johnson’s lawyer Daniel Watkins.
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Johnson, 20, was targeted after he was turned away from a a bar on St. Patrick’s Day and was asked for his ID. The video of his brutal arrest caused outrage after Johnson could be seen being restrained by officers with a bloody gash on his head. All charges, which also includes obstruction of justice without force, against Johnson will most likely be dropped due to this support.