Despite initial reports, according to his lawyer, 20-year-old black UVA student Martese Johnson did not have a fake ID when he was violently arrested by Alcoholic Beverage Control agents, and the school’s vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity told CNN he “apparently was not intoxicated by way of a breathalyzer test” at the time he was booked.
A video of the incident, which took place out side a bar in the college town of Charlottesville, showed a bloodied Johnson being penned down by three agents. The large gash on his head required 10 stitches. His initial arrest report filed by the agents said that the Honor Committee member, who has no criminal history, was “arrested on two misdemeanor charges of obstructing justice without force, and public swearing and intoxication.” Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe has ordered the State Police to investigate the arrest, and the incident has led to large demonstrations on and around the UVA campus. The arresting agents have been placed on administrative duties while the state continues their investigation …
