Ohio Judge Throws Lawyer in Jail for Wearing BLM Pin in Court

A judge in Ohio sentenced an attorney to five days in jail for refusing to remove her Black Lives Matter pin in court and remain “neutral to injustice.”

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The Youngstown attorney, Andrea Burton, told the local WFMJ that, “To remain neutral becomes an accomplice to oppression.”

She was removed from the courtroom after a private conversation with the judge, who found in contempt of court.

The judge invoked a Supreme Court ruling to remove any political expressions from the courtroom, whether or not it is disruptive, but Burton maintained that her First Amendment rights superseded the law.

“A judge is objective and tries to make sure everyone has an opportunity to have a fair hearing, and it was a situation where it was just in violation of the law,” said Municipal Court Judge Robert Milich.

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The law can be applied at the judge’s discretion, and the local chapter of the NAACP will investigate for any breaches to constitutional rights.

Burton was released on a stay and will seek an appeal.

“It’s an act of civil disobedience, I understand that,” said Burton. “And just to say for the record I do believe all lives matter. But at this point they don’t all matter equally, and that’s the problem in the justice system.”