ABC agents involved in arrest of Martese Johnson return to regular duty

The agents with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Bevarage Control (ABC) removed from duty pending a review of their involvement in the arrest of University of Virginia student Martese Johnson have been reinstated.

“Because Virginia law prohibits disclosure of personnel files, the administrative review will not be released, and Virginia ABC cannot comment on the specifics of the matter”.

The agents have been on administrative duty, but will return to their jobs Monday.

ABC says the agents didn’t violate company coverage.

This comes after an investigation by the Virginia State Police.

The ABC said training “in areas of use of force, cultural diversity, effective interaction with youth and community policing”, also ordered by McAuliffe, had been completed ahead of schedule.

The ABC has also been re-training its agents and taking part in a panel that is reviewing the department as well as its enforcement powers. The charges were later dropped in June by a prosecutor who said “the interest of justice is not served by further prosecution of the defendant”, NBC reports.

Johnson’s attorney, Daniel Watkins, said at the time that his client was “ecstatic”.

Virginia State Police, an agency independent from the ABC, carried out the investigation into Johnson’s arrest.

However, testing later proved that he was not under the influence and Johnson maintained he presented his own state ID card.

“In arrest records, an ABC agent says Johnson ‘was very agitated and belligerent but [has] no previous criminal history, ‘ according to student newspaper The Cavalier Daily”. Six agents closed in on the student, and one pulled a gun. The incident sparked a public backlash, and she settled a lawsuit for $212,500.

Alcohol enforcement, or lack thereof, can have a significant impact on college students.

Johnson was charged with obstruction of justice and public intoxication and swearing. Other witnesses said the officers and Johnson appeared to fall accidentally, an account that lines up with what the ABC agents reported.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.