Li'l Abner Mobile Home Park resident convicted and sentenced in rough police takedown during eviction
A former Li'l Abner Mobile Home Park resident who was arrested during an eviction process that turned violent has been found guilty on all charges and sentenced to probation.
A jury has convicted 62-year-old Vivian Hernandez of disorderly conduct, trespassing and resisting arrest without violence for the December 2024 incident, where she claimed she was voicing her concerns that demolition crews were not protecting residents from asbestos and testified on Wednesday that officers accosted her with a rough takedown.
After her conviction, she was sentenced to six months' probation.
Rough police takedown of woman at Sweetwater mobile home park sparks outrage
Residents were given notices to vacate by May 2025, with financial incentives offered for early departures, $14,000 for those who leave by January 31, $7,000 by April 30, and $3,000 after that.
Despite these offers, many residents, some of whom have lived there for decades, are protesting what they see as unfair treatment and an abrupt upheaval of their lives.
Hernandez was arrested in December 2024 after entering Li'l Abner's management office to raise concerns about demolition work she believed was putting residents at risk of asbestos exposure.
Cellphone video of her arrest sparked outrage among former residents and led to her being criminally charged.
"We are aware of the arrest circulating on social media involving one of our Sweetwater Police Officers," Sweetwater Mayor Jose "Pepe" Diaz said at the time about the arrest on X. "The preliminary information reveals that the officer was summoned to the administrative office in reference to a disturbance. An altercation ensued, causing the officer to take police action, which resulted in an arrest."
"This is an unfortunate situation for all, however, as part of our Use of Force policy, my command staff will conduct a thorough review of the incident to ensure all legal guidelines were met," he added.
Both sides gave testimonies in court this week
On Tuesday, jurors heard from the officer who arrested Hernandez, who testified saying that he acted appropriately after asking her to leave the office more than six times.
Prosecutors argued the officer, who was working off duty at the time, was within his authority to remove her at the request of management.
"When the defendant resisted those lawful commands, the evidence will show the officer opted to use force," the state said in its opening argument.
Meanwhile, Hernandez's attorney David Winker said the video of her arrest clearly showed what happened and would help jurors determine whether the officer's actions were justified.
"This is the case where there is no question of what happened," Winker said. "There's a video. It's clear what happened, and the jury gets to decide: Was it appropriate or not? And should Vivian Hernandez go to jail for that?"
Winker, who also represents 200 families in a separate civil case against the park's owners, said Hernandez suffered significant injuries during the arrest. He said she spent days in the hospital and still relies on a walker.
"It's emotional watching these videos," Winker said. "Vivian was severely hurt. She still walks with a walker. It's tough to watch what happened."
During her testimony on Wednesday, Hernandez said she was a victim of abuse of power.