FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Fresno Unified School Board Member Terrence Slatic and a 15-Year-old Bullard High School student will not be facing any criminal charges, after an altercation on campus.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office made the announcement in a press release on Friday, Feb. 15, that it will not being filing charges against either party.
The incident took place on Friday, January 11, 2019 at Bullard High School.
Fresno Unified said on that day, school had let out, and the student was waiting by the snack bar for the final after-school snack, before the weekend.
According to a FUSD spokesperson, video shows both newly-elected Fresno Unified Board Member, Slatic and his assistant, Michelle Asadoorian, who is a past trustee, walk by the student.
On the video, Slatic stops, turns around and approaches the student, then grabs the student’s backpack and jerks him back.
The student drops his backpack, squares up, then quickly picks up his backpack and runs off.
The District Attorney’s Office reviewed surveillance video of the physical altercation, along with a report by Fresno Police, and audio and video-recorded witness statements.
The DA”s Office said the prosecution would not be able to disprove that Slatic acted in self-defense.
In order to prosecute Mr. Slatic for the crime of battery, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Slatic touched the juvenile in a harmful or offensive manner, AND that Mr. Slatic did not act in self defense or in defense of someone else: Fresno County District Attorney’s Office
Although the student threatened Slatic, the DA’s Office said there was no evidence that Slatic was in sustained fear, and the prosecution would not be able to prove the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
In order to prosecute the unnamed fifteen-year-old juvenile for the crime of criminal threats, the prosecution must prove that the juvenile threatened to kill or cause great bodily injury to Mr. Slatic, AND that the threat caused Mr. Slatic to be in sustained fear for his safety: Fresno County District Attorney’s Office
Fresno Unified had previously concluded that no disciplinary action would be taken against the student.
