According to witnesses, Calhoun was upset because a Chicano Studies class was running late and Calhoun wanted the room for his class.
According to a Fresno City College Police Department report, witnesses said Calhoun demanded the students leave, meaning they were unable to finish a test.
The alleged attack on the student occurred as she was leaving the classroom and called Calhoun a name.
Inside the courtroom Brian Calhoun's attorney told the judge Calhoun is not guilty of the charge of misdemeanor battery, and wants a trial by jury. Outside the courtroom Attorney Roger Nuttall told us, "Really the person who was victimized here was Dr. Calhoun."
Nuttall says Calhoun was provoked because the young woman called him a name.
"He touched her asked her for her name and then she hit him," said Nuttall. "Two or three times, bloodied his nose, broke his glasses."
That's not how the students attorney, Catherine Campbell sees it. "It seems ridiculous to me to lie so profoundly and so obviously about what actually occurred.
Campbell acknowledges her client, a 19 year old woman named Kevynn Gomez swore at Calhoun but she says Calhoun over reacted.
"He was very violent, very brutal and out of control. He grabbed her, threw her against a wall, put his arm up under her neck, choked her, then threw her onto the ground, on her back and had to be pulled off and restrained by other students."
According to the police report more than a dozen witnesses, city college students and staff say that's exactly what happened. Calhoun's criminal case is being prosecuted by the District Attorney's office.
Catherine Campbell has also filed a civil suit against Calhoun claiming among other things Calhoun was hostile to the victim because she is Hispanic.
Calhoun has been placed on administrative leave from Fresno City College. He has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the victim. His trial is set for late September.
