South Carolina judge upholds activist’s 4-year prison term

By JAMES POLLARD
Associated Press/Report for America

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina judge has ruled that a pregnant Black activist serving four years in prison over her behavior during racial justice protests in 2020 will not receive a reduced sentence. A jury this spring found 34-year-old Brittany Martin, of Sumter, South Carolina, guilty of breaching the peace in a high and aggravated manner. Martin told officers she was “ready to die for the Black” and they “better be ready to die for the blue.” Martin’s attorneys asked for her sentenced to be reduced and expressed concern for her pregnancy and health. In an Oct. 5 order, the judge denied the motion and pointed to her prior criminal convictions that he said contributed to the original sentence.