An Over-the-Rhine woman was cleared of looting charges Tuesday after prosecutors learned she was really trying to do a good deed when police arrested her during last week's riot.

        The charges against Frieda Curtis were dropped after a grand jury refused to indict her Tuesday.

        Prosecutors say Ms. Curtis' boss, Steven Rothchild, told them his employee was trying to save his cash register from looters when police stormed in last Wednesday night.

        The police thought she was stealing it.

        Mr. Rothchild said Ms. Curtis lives in an apartment above his Big Dollar store on Vine Street.

        He said she called him at home repeatedly to say looters were smashing windows, kicking in doors and stealing property.

        Throughout the riot, Mr. Rothchild said, Ms. Curtis carried boxes of merchandise up to her apartment so looters wouldn't steal them. But when she tried to grab the cash register, police arrested her.

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