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State Police Launch Probes of UVA Student's Arrest

Hawes Spencer

Two separate investigations have now been launched into the arrest and injury of a popular UVA student leader. 

After requests from the governor and Charlottesville's top prosecutor, Virginia State Police have launched both an administrative review and a criminal investigation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board's March 18 encounter with Martese Johnson, who was cuffed, arrested, and injured on the sidewalk outside a Charlottesville bar. 
 

"We owe it both Mr. Johnson and the Virginia ABC to be painstakingly thorough in determining the facts of the situation."

That's Corinne Geller, spokesperson for the Virginia State Police, speaking on the same day Johnson's lawyer said an ABC agent accused the 20-year-old of foisting a false identification because he provided a zip code which didn't match his ID card.

116"He recited his mother's Chicago city zip code at her current address, which is different from Chicago city zip code on the identification card that was printed almost four years ago. At no time throughout the encounter did Martese present, as has been reported by some in the media, a fake ID."

Twenty-five years ago, attorney David Heilberg defended another member of the UVA Honor Committee injured after an encounter with law enforcement. Heilberg wonders if ABC officers get overzealous due to their narrow mandate.

"Special police units can get chips on their shoulders because they have one mission and they take it too seriously."

The State Police decline to provide a timetable for completing the investigations. Johnson must appear in court on Thursday on two misdemeanor charges: public swearing or drunkenness and non-violent resisting arrest.
 

Credit Photo: Hawes Spencer

UPDATE:

Friday afternoon 200 students walked out of a forum at UVA, called following Johnson's arrest.  Ryant Washington, a special policy advisor for the ABC said he couldn't answer many questions because of two active investigations.

Activists raised their fists and interrupted speakers whose answers didn't satisfy them.

Credit Photo: Hawes Spencer
Public Safety Director Brian Moran

Abc_Cut_01_WEb.mp3
Brian Moran, Director of Public Safety, was asked whether the ABC will survive in its current format of selling and policing.

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