Attorney Andrea Burton was taken into custody for contempt of court after refusing to remove a #BlackLivesMatter pin in the courtroom of Youngstown, Ohio Municipal Court Judge Robert Milich.
According to WKBN, Burton was sentenced to five days in jail, with Judge Milich citing Supreme Court case Berner v. Delahanty, which allows judges to prohibit symbolic political expression in courtrooms – even if it’s not disruptive.
“There’s a difference between a flag, a pin from your church or the Eagles and having a pin that’s on a political issue,” Milich said.
Activist and attorney Kim Akins has a different view on the judge’s ruling.
“No one wearing an American flag button, no one wearing a crucifix or a Star of David would be removed, so why this particular statement bothered him so much is bothersome,” she said.
The Youngstown chapter of the NAACP is keeping an eye on Burton’s case as this may be a violation of Burton’s civil rights.
“We will do all that the NAACP Youngstown can do to ensure that Attorney Burton’s Constitutional rights are not being violated,” chapter President George Freeman, Jr. said in a statement.
Watch the video from the court below:
Burton has been released on stay while her appeal is processed.
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