Martese Johnson, UVA student injured during arrest, speaks to Chicago students

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A picture and some cell phone videos turned a college student from Chicago into a national cause for the fight against police brutality.

Martese Johnson was back in his hometown Saturday and talked exclusively to ABC7 Eyewitness News about the incident and the message he has for Chicago teens.

A graduate of Kenwood Academy, Johnson says he was ecstatic when he learned the charges against him were being dropped following his March arrest outside a University of Virginia bar.

He is an honor roll student and has served in leadership positions at the university. He now wants to use his experience to help educate others about racial issues.

The University of Virginia student was brought to the ground by Virginia Beverage Control officers, handcuffed, his face bloodied and requiring stitches. Johnson and witnesses claimed he had done nothing illegal and nothing to provoke the officers. The images went viral and sparked protests, alleging racism by the officers.

"I realized it doesn't matter what we do as black men in society," Johnson said. "We are at a point in our existence in the United States where we are still perceived in certain ways," Johnson said.

Johnson was the featured speaker at the Kappa Leadership Institute's event where several recent high school graduates, including his brother, announced their choice of college to attend next year.

Johnson is an alumnus of the program and his brother is one of the graduates. He told the students about his experiences and what the racism he encountered means for them.

"We have to work harder than other people to prove that are valuable and to prove that we're worthy," Johnson said.

He says the incident motivated him to want to speak out and try to help the community better understand issues involving diversity. He wants better training for police officers.

It's been a difficult time for Johnson and his family, but he said it was a big relief when charges against him were dropped this week.

"We're just glad those charge were dropped, which never should have been brought up in the first place," Dychea Johnson said. "We're just happy that that's over with and he can move forward with his career and education."

For his part, Martese Johnson says he now wants to turn the negative experience into a positive.

"That moment was my last straw and it's really pushed me to help society, even in a larger sort of way," he said.

Johnson was 20-years-old at the time of the arrest. He says he plans to go into business. The state has declined to file charges against the officers involved in his arrest and Johnson has said he is considering his legal options regarding a civil suit against those officers.