Chikesia Clemons, whose arrest at a Saraland Waffle House sparked national attention after video of the incident spread online, was found guilty Monday of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Judge: Verdict Based on Legal Definitions
The charges stemmed from the April 22 arrest captured on cellphone video, which showed police taking Clemons to the floor of the restaurant. Saraland police said Clemons was intoxicated and that the video also showed her threatening employees and refusing repeated requests to leave.
The judge presiding over the case said he found Clemons guilty because the legal definitions of the offenses had been met — not because of any emotion surrounding the high-profile case.
Supporters Pushed for Dismissal
Clemons’ attorney argued she was only trying to obtain a corporate phone number to file a complaint. She and her supporters contended the charges should be dropped because of how she was treated during the arrest; in June, the group delivered petitions bearing roughly 50,000 signatures to city hall demanding dismissal.
The court instead ordered a $200 fine plus court costs on the resisting arrest charge and another $200 fine on the disorderly conduct count. Clemons was also sentenced to 10 days in jail, suspended for one year of informal probation. She had 14 days to file an appeal.