JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Kristina Garza, one of the two women arrested while passing out pro-life literature in front of Murrah High School in March, was in court Friday.
Hinds County Justice Court Judge Ivory Britton found her guilty of disorderly conduct and trespassing. An interfering with a bus driver charge was dropped.
The scene in March in front of Murrah High School was chaotic when Kristina Garza and Brianna Baxter, members of Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust out of California, were arrested.
"We're innocent of the charges. We did nothing wrong. We did not cause any type of disturbance," Garza said.
Garza said she and Baxter were in Jackson with a team of five other people. She said the group travels throughout the nation talking about abortion and inviting young girls to re-think their position.
"All we were doing was handing literature to students and inviting them to talk to us very peacefully," Garza said. "We were just exercising our First Amendment right to free speech. That's all we were doing on a public sidewalk."
Hinds County Justice Court Judge Ivory Britton found Garza guilty and sentenced her to six months in jail, but that sentence was suspended.
"So we filed for an immediate appeal. We know we are innocent and we know this is unfair. We filed for an immediate appeal meaning we'll go to trial with a jury. We are confident that a jury will see our innocents and find us innocent of these charges," Garza said.
Baxter did not appear in court. Judge Britton issued a bench warrant for her arrest.
A new trial date has not been set.
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