He's alleged to have attacked 19-year-old Kevynn Gomez.
It happened in this Fresno City College classroom last Friday. The last day before spring break. A witness told Action News the alleged victim was among a group of students finishing taking a test in a classroom. The class period had ended, Calhoun taught the next class, we're told he came in and was angry the students and instructor were still in "his"classroom.
There are two versions of what happened next. Attorney Roger Nuttal is representing Calhoun and gave us his account:
"So he's waiting outside and this female student comes out and proceeds to call him an (expletive deleted) and then he gets slugged in the nose by her, and in the cheek and then his nose starts bleeding."
Attorney Catherine Campbell represents the female student, Kevynn Gomez:
"She said something to him on her way out of the classroom he grabbed her he pushed her up against the wall, and here she is, she's tiny, I don't know how big Mr. Calhoun is, I understand he's about six feet tall, he pushed her up against the wall and one point she did strike him and he threw her to the ground."
Campbell says Kevynn Gomez is five foot one and 103 pounds. Campbell read a witness account from the official Fresno City College Campus Police report.
"One witness says Gomez , my client , was trying to get away and yelling at him and telling him to let her go, Calhoun followed the student pinned her up against the wall with his forearm she did then swear at him. The female then jerked her arm away and hit him with her elbow. Calhoun then picked up the student and slammed her on the ground."
Campbell says 9 witnesses back up her client's story.
"There was a grabbing and pushing her up against the wall and then there was throwing her to the ground, and while she was on the ground he was standing over her as if to hit her more and then students pulled him off."
Nuttal told us he hadn't seen the police report yet but is ready to defend Calhoun, who he also says is a personal friend.
"That's not his style; he's too smart for that. You don't attack people he's not a violent person. I question the veracity of that young woman particularly in light of the manner in which she conducted herself. We are dealing with a basically well l respected educator well respected citizen, former city council man." Nuttal added: "She was profane in terms of the manner in which she addressed him and then, she slugged him."
Campbell's response: "She protected herself, she protected herself." Calhoun was issued a citation and is scheduled to appear in court in June. Campbell says her client is waiting to see how the school and the District Attorney's office handle this case before deciding whether to take legal action. Campbell also said school officials have told her Calhoun will not be on campus when classes resume on Monday.
