More Loitering!

Teen Cleared in Violent Confrontation with Fresno Police
abclocal.go.com

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — A violent incident led to criminal charges against a Fresno high school student, but part of the incident was caught on tape, and the charges didn’t stick. The teenager is now celebrating a legal victory and preparing to sue Fresno Police at the same time.

Idalia Morgutia-Johnson was 15 years old and hanging out with friends after school when she says two officers manhandled her and arrested her for no reason in August 2010.

The showdown was caught on video and Thursday, a judge agreed she hadn’t committed a crime. Cell phone video shows two Fresno Police officers grabbing Johnson and hauling her out to a patrol car.

The charge? Loitering at Big Mama’s Grill after her school day was done at Hoover High School across the street.

Johnson told Action News she tried to explain to the first officer that she’d placed an order, but Sgt. Larry Hustedde wasn’t listening.

“He responded though by grabbing my right arm and twisting my wrist into my back and slamming me on the table I was seated at,” Johnson said, “and I kept asking him why he was doing this.”