© Provided by WBAL TV Baltimore Rena Mellerson

Criminal charges were dropped Tuesday against a 76-year-old Baltimore County woman who had been thrown to the ground by a county police officer during an arrest. The case has drawn wide attention through cell phone video and police body camera video.

It took less than a minute in district court for Rena Mellerson to be cleared of criminal charges. Body worn camera video showed a frustrated Baltimore County police corporal trying to get into Mellersons' home in January to arrest her granddaughter for disorderly conduct.

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The corporal fired a taser into the house. He also showed his service weapon.



Mellerson was pulled out of the house. Another officer, who'd just arrived at the scene, threw Mellerson to the ground. She was charged with interfering with an arrest.

Mellerson did not comment as she left court after the charges against her had been dropped. Her attorney J Wyndakl Gordon said a civil lawsuit is planned.

"We haven't filed yet because we were waiting on the outcome of this case. We wanted to see whether we were going to be embroiled in criminal litigation before we start the civil process, but now that the criminal process is over, we are absolutely going to move forward with the civil process," Gordon said.

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