Jury finds Fresno police not liable in teen's excessive force claim

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Thursday, June 18, 2015
Jury: Fresno PD not liable in excessive force claim
A Fresno teenager, who sued the police department accusing two officers of using excessive force, has lost her case.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno teenager, who sued the police department accusing two officers of using excessive force, has lost her case. Idalia Morgutia-Johnson told Action News she's still hurting from the 2010 incident that was partially caught on camera.

Officers were trying to clear out non-paying customers from Big Mama's Restaurant near Hoover High School, when one officer came across Johnson. There was some disagreement over whether she had placed an order, and it escalated.

Johnson was never charged with any crime, but a jury took less than an hour to find the city and the officers were not liable in her excessive force claim.