LA Judge Charged With Battery In Dispute With Woman Over Dog Waste

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has been charged with battery after getting into a dispute with a woman over a bag of dog waste.

Connie Romero, 51, was walking her dogs outside the Chatsworth home of Judge Craig Richman July 18 when she said she bagged up some of the dog excrement and placed it on the curb.

She said she intended to pick up the waste on her way back from her walk.

Richman, however, pulled up to his house.

"He advises her, 'You're leaving this dog excrement. Could you please pick it up?' At that time, she says some vulgar things to him," said James Blatt, Richman's attorney.

Romero said she flung the bag into Richman's car during an argument with the judge about how to dispose of the waste.

"I was responding to what he wanted me to do. I picked it up and I asked him, 'You throw it away,'" she said.

"I would say she's not off to a good start with throwing dog excrement into someone's car," said Blatt.

Romero claims she tried to walk away from the yelling match with Richman.

"I turned my back, and then he placed both of his hands, and then shoved me," she said.

In a statement, the city attorney's office, which charged the judge with one misdemeanor count of battery, said, "The defendant allegedly pushed her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground, allegedly striking her face on the sidewalk… and was later treated for injuries."

"My ear…I end up with the headaches. I have big pain here," said Romero.

Richman is expected in court Nov. 6. His attorney will try to get the battery charge dropped.