An organizer for Black Lives Matter is being charged with “felony lynching,” and is facing a possible four years in prison.

“Felony lynching” is described as attempting to take a person out of police custody. Organizer Jasmine Richards is being charged with trying to “de-arrest” somebody at a peace rally in August 2015 that was held in Pintoresco Park in Pasadena, California. Democracy Now reports that she was arrested and convicted of the crime for her actions at the event. Fellow Black Lives Matter organizer Melina Abdullah explained the situation in more detail to AllHipHop this week.

“Jasmine Abdullah (aka Jasmine Richards) is a tremendously talented, inspirational and visionary organizer and founding member of Black Lives Matter- Pasadena,” said Abdullah. He went on to explain that Jasmine worked with young folks by encouraging them to stand up to what he described as “police terror.”

This made her a target for the police, according to Abdullah. “On June 1, 2016, Jasmine was convicted of attempted felony “lynching” for coming to the aid of a Black woman who she believed to be unlawfully detained by the police as Black Lives Matter was holding a 'Peace March.' Jasmine now faces up to 4 years in state prison. We are pushing for no jail time in sentencing and encouraging everyone to recognize this for what it is..a political prosecution that threatens the rights of all of us to protest and organize,” he said.

Abdullah also spoke with Democracy Now where he discussed the irony of the felony lynching charge. “Her conviction is not only about punishing Jasmine Richards, but also is the lynching,” he said. “So it’s really disgusting and ironic that she’s charged and convicted with felony lynching, when the real lynching that’s carried out is done in the same way it was carried out in the late 19th, early 20th century, where it’s supposed to punish those who dare to rise up against a system.”

Source: allhiphop.com