Pregnant Black activist serving 4 years for protest comments

A pregnant Black activist serving four years in prison for her behavior at racial justice protests will have her sentence reconsidered.

Brittany Martin was found guilty of breaching the peace in a high and serious way over comments she made to police. Increasing concerns about her health and that of her baby have led her lawyers to push for a less severe sentence.

The advocates with Black Voters Matter are trying to get her released. The judge will be told that the punishment is unjust by a civil rights attorney.

Her trial attorney said that she was in jail because she spoke in America. She is a dark-skinned black woman.

Martin moved with her four younger children to South Carolina in the spring of 2020 and was ready to go and protest after the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Her brother-in-law was shot and killed by the police in 2016 after a car chase. She was grieving over her family's past when she went to the streets.

Police body camera recordings were shown in court. They don't show her laying hands on any officers On May 31, 2020, videos show Martin chanting "No justice, no peace" in front of an officer. Police talked about using tear gas before allowing the crowd to leave.

A few days later, Martin used stronger words.

Some of us aren't hurt. Martin said that some of the people were hurting. We are prepared to die for this. We didn't like it anymore. It's time to die for the blue. I am prepared to die for the black.

The jury found Martin not guilty of inciting a riot and not guilty of threatening officers. She was only found guilty of breaching the peace and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Any disturbers, dangerous and disorderly persons, or people who utter threats of violence are considered to be breaching the peace. Up to 10 years imprisonment is the maximum sentence prosecutors presented the charge as. The possibility of a much harsher penalty was not allowed to be explained to the jury by the judge.

Interviews were not responded to by prosecutors. The police said it would be inappropriate to say anything.

The sentence was beyond the pale.

There are people who tried to overturn an election and lead to the deaths of law enforcement. They are getting three months and six months. Four years for Brittany Martin.

More than 330 people charged with federal crimes related to the January 6 insurrection have pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

There are other people who had their sentences reduced who were convicted under the same charge. A University of Alabama football fan who was drunk punched a University of South Carolina fan in the head after the game. A driver accidentally drove over the man's body. The fan got three years in prison.

Even though she was pregnant, Martin lost 12 pounds while in prison. She went to eight outside medical appointments in July and August.

Martin was sent to solitary confinement because she refused to cut her dreads. When wearing straight back and individual braids, the prison allows neatly braided, corn-rowed hair, but not dreadlocks or twists.

She said she has been harassed by guards and inmates. Martin had scratches on his face and a bloody right eye, according toRosado. On June 5, she was sent to jail for 35 days for threatening to harm an employee and again on July 28 for refusing or failing to obey orders.

Dr. Brewer wants to make sure that Martin doesn't end up like Bland, who died in a Texas jail after a trooper said she failed to signal a lane change.

There was a lot of change after the protests.

In November 2020, Martin was sentenced to 7 years of supervised release for leaving a crime scene in Iowa, where her son accused her of deliberately hitting him with her SUV and driving away. According to Iowa court documents, Martin told her son that she wanted him to die. The judge in South Carolina didn't mention the Iowa conviction in his decision, according toRosado.

Martin co-founded Mixed Sistaz United, a group that served meals for homeless people and hosted a Juneteenth celebration.

Martin and her family are still mourning the death of her son, who was shot and killed in his car outside of a convenience store.

The younger children are being cared for by Martin's sister. The 5-year-old hasn't sounded happy on the phone.

Martin said that he has started giving up for a second in this prison. The spoon seemed to have been put in my mouth by the Holy spirit. You have to rise.

I had to think about my little ones. She said that she had to think about her love for them.

That's right.