U.S : Tell D.A John CHOI : Drop ALL Charges against Natalie POLLARD !

Leyla Martinez started a petition to demand Ramsey County Attorney, John Choi, drop ALL charges against Natalie Pollard !

Sign now Natalie Pollard is being tried TWICE for protecting her life from an abusive partner !   Tell Ramsey County Attorney John Choi :  Surviving Domestic Violence is NOT a crime ! Dear friend, My name is Leyla Martinez and I’m asking for you to support a Black mother and survivor of domestic violence, Natalie Pollard. Ramsey County Attorney, John Choi, is prosecuting Natalie for protecting her life from an abusive partner. Most shockingly, this attempt to jail this Black mother of six children comes after the Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed Natalie’s original conviction. When Natalie reached out to me for help, I knew her story needed to be heard by everyone. Against all odds, Natalie survived but is still being traumatized by the state at this very moment. As a formerly incarcerated woman of color and victim of domestic violence myself, I cannot allow Natalie to suffer any longer. Sign the petition: Demand John Choi ends his attack on Black mothers! Two years ago Obinna Nwankpa broke into Natalie’s home, drunk, irate and began viciously beating Natalie’s pregnant body. After crying for help multiple times, even calling the police to no avail, Natalie did what any mother would do her in position. She defended her life and the life of her children. Nevertheless, that did not stop John Choi, from prosecuting and convicting Natalie for unintentional murder, causing her to be sentenced to 11 years in prison. Natalie spent two years in prison and was forced to deliver her child while incarcerated. In 2017, the Minnesota Court of Appeals stepped in and reversed the decision to convict Natalie. But it was too late. Natalie had already lost so much - her children, her home, and her job.  Even with this turn of events, John Choi, is going after Natalie again. John Choi is a clear example of how local district attorneys hold enormous amounts of power within the criminal justice system but are rarely if ever, held accountable. In a high-profile election year, John Choi is set on proving himself to be a “tough on crime” District Attorney even at the expense of vulnerable victims. Now in a desperate attempt to escape a lifetime prison sentence, Natalie has been forced to make an impossible decision - accept a plea deal that includes additional prison time or face long-term separation from her children. Even with this plea deal, we know a violent criminal conviction is a lifetime sentence, especially for Black women. Tell John Choi: Surviving domestic violence is not a crime! We have seen this many times before particularly in the case of Marissa Alexander - a Black mother sentenced to 20 years in prison after firing a warning shot in the air to scare off her abusive husband. It was only through public pressure that the District Attorney agreed to release Marissa after she served 3 years of her 20-year prison sentence. Black women are often forced to decide between living with life-threatening violence or spending their lives in prison. My heart breaks knowing what Natalie has gone through. Most of all, I am angry that John Choi thinks of Natalie’s life as nothing more than a tool to satisfy his political ambition. Choi’s overzealous prosecution of Black mothers has real-life consequences.  He must be stopped. We cannot allow Choi to set an evil precedent by criminalizing survivors of domestic violence. Join me in demanding #Justice4Natalie NOW!   In solidarity, Leyla Martinez Sign now Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.