Sources say that three years ago, Heather Ellis, a college student at the time, was waiting on line at Wal-Mart. She decided to get into another line, then got into a verbal altercation with customers. The cops were called. And she is facing a possible 15-year sentence in prison.How could this be?

If you believe Ellis’ side of the story, she got out of her original line at Wal-Mart to join her cousin in a line that was moving more quickly. When she did, Ellis was pushed by a white customer, hassled by store employees, called racial slurs and physically mistreated by white police officers.

If you believe law enforcement’s side of the story, Ellis shoved merchandise off the conveyor belt, became belligerent when she was confronted, told the police she would beat them if they touched her, refused to leave the store and resisted arrest.