Norfolk, Va. - Norfolk City Attorney Bernard Pishko has dismissed the charges against a 21-year-old Norfolk State University student attacked by a Norfolk Police K-9 last week.
London Colvin, 21, had been charged with Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest on January 25th.
She has now hired local attorney, Jon Babineau, who says they are happy the city if following through with their word.
"The city has owned up to it and followed through on what they said they were going to do," Babineau said. "From that standpoint, the system has worked, but it's not over."
Babineau says this is not over as they are considering filing a lawsuit against the city, its police department and the officer involved.
"One hadn't been filed yet, but there is a great likelihood one will be," Babineau told NewsChannel 3. "If it's medical scarring, if it's psychological that's ongoing, if it's career ending or career modifying, then those from a monetary standpoint are very valuable components, and then on top of that it will be the excessive force civil rights violation there is that punishment too."
Norfolk Police had been called out to Godfrey Street for a fight involving approximately 35 people.
A police K-9 was used and bit Colvin. The injury required more than 40 stitches and will require plastic surgery.
Police originally said the dog was used because they were outnumbered and because Colvin was being disorderly.
However, Norfolk Chief of Police Michael Goldsmith released a statement Thursday saying based on the information he received, he determined the use of force in Colvin’s arrest to be unreasonable.
“It’s my fault,” Chief Goldsmith said in a press conference on Thursday. “We had other levels of force we could have gone to to accomplish the arrest for Ms. Colvin. The use of the K-9 was not necessary in this case. It was unreasonable use of it.”
Chief Goldsmith says he will be reviewing and making changes to the policy on the use of police K-9s.
As for the K9 officer-involved, police say he is on administrative duty and the Chief says he's not sure what disciplinary action that officer will face. However, Babineau did say Colvin has no plans to press charges against the officer.
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