Judge charged with battery for 'shoving woman to the ground after she refused to put her dog excrement in the trash'

Dog walker left with cut above her eye and swollen wrist after alleged confrontation

Los Angeles judge claims woman laid in middle of the road after being pushed to ground



A Los Angeles judge who allegedly knocked a woman to the ground in a dispute over dog mess, has been charged with battery.



Superior court judge Craig Richman was accused of pushing Connie Romero to the ground outside his home after seeing her leave a plastic bag of dog poop on a curb on July 18.

A lawyer for the judge defended his action, claiming that after Ms Romero fell to the ground she got up and laid in the middle of the street until neighbors found her.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Craig Richman. Richman is accused of pushing Connie Romero from behind and knocking her to the ground, said city attorney's spokesman Rob Wilcox

The dispute is said to have occurred when Ms Romero followed Richman to his drive after he confronted the woman about allegedly leaving a bag of poop on the sidewalk, the Los Angeles Times reported.



Ms Romero has accused Richman of pushing her from behind, which left her with a cut over her left eye, a swollen wrist and scraped shoulder after her face struck the ground, city attorney spokesman Rob Wilcox said.

When the former county prosecutor walked away Ms Romero called for police, Mr Wilcox said. He was charged on October 16 with one misdemeanor count of battery.

The attorney representing the judge claimed Ms Romero had started the spate by throwing a bag of dog poop at him when Richman asked her to put it in a trash can.



Dispute: A judge faces a battery charge after confronting a woman he claimed had not cleared up after her dog

Attorney James E Blatt said Ms Romero followed Richman to his drive and pushed him first. When the judge pushed her back, she fell over.



But, the attorney claimed, Ms Romero then got up and moved into the middle of the street where she laid until neighbors found her.

