
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, May 11, 1990                   TAG: 9005110809
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

CHARGES DROPPED AFTER WOMAN SAYS OFFICER STRUCK HER

A Roanoke woman testified Wednesday that a police officer struck her in the stomach with a flashlight during a scuffle in which she was later charged with impeding police.

Roanoke General District Court Judge George Harris dismissed the charge against Sarita C. Fisher - even though she had entered a plea of no contest.

"I don't like this," Harris said from the bench. "You can't treat citizens that way."

After rejecting Fisher's no contest plea and dismissing the charge, Harris ordered that a written summary of the case be submitted to Police Chief M. David Hooper for review.

"Thank you, judge," a sobbing Fisher said as she left the courtroom.

Fisher, 20, testified that several police officers arrived at her apartment at the Lansdowne housing project March 19 and asked about a suspect they believed was hiding in her home.

Fisher told them they could not enter her apartment unless they showed her a search warrant. Authorities said that as Fisher left, she shoved a police officer.

In an ensuing struggle, a police officer struck Fisher in the stomach with his flashlight, she said. Fisher was not able to identify the officer who hit her.

After arresting Fisher, police obtained a search warrant and found the suspect in her apartment.

by CNB