Mother found guilty after yelling at officer

The woman who said she is on trial because her baby cried in a Decatur library took the stand in her own defense Wednesday and was found guilty of obstruction.

Donetta Foster had been charged with disorderly conduct after she refused to follow an officer's orders and swore at him in October of 2010.

On the stand, Foster told the jury she was trying to tell the officer her side of the story.

Foster, who is a full-time student, testified she went to the library to use a computer with her son who was 14-months-old at the time of the incident.

Foster said the security officer said her son was making too much noise just minutes after sitting down at a computer.

"I wanted the officer’s help. He did not want to give me that help or hear, and I got very upset and said a lot of things I did not mean," Foster said.

Channel 2’s Erica Byfield was in court as jurors watched dashboard camera video from a police officer’s car from the day of the incident. In the video Foster could be heard screaming, Byfield said.

Late Wednesday night, the jury returned a guilty verdict against Foster.

In a statement from the Solicitor-General’s office, they said, “After more than 48 minutes in which the defendant ranted, vented, complained and cursed at the police sergeant and failed to obey a clear, lawful command, the sergeant had no choice but to arrest the defendant, leading her ultimately to be charged with obstruction.”

Foster was sentenced to 12 months probation and will have to perform 40 hours of community service.

Foster is also required to attend three parenting classes, three child impact classes, three Alternative Path for Women classes and one day-long intensive anger management class.