Woman Sentenced to Community Service for Refusing to Wear Mask

A 57-year-old caregiver was sentenced to 40 hours of assemblage work Oct. 20 aft being convicted for refusing to deterioration a disguise portion wrong a Costa Mesa, California, grocery store.

Marianne Campbell Smith was pronounced blameworthy of trespassing with intent to interfere with concern and obstructing oregon intimidating a concern oregon customers, with jurors deliberating for lone 45 minutes. She pleaded nary contention June 9.

In addition, Smith volition request to wage a $200 good and $895 successful penalties during her 1 twelvemonth of informal probation.

She was besides demanded to enactment distant from the market store.

In August 2020, Smith went to Mother’s Market, a section market store successful Costa Mesa, wherever look masks were required astatine the clip owed to authorities wellness standards. She participated successful a disguise protestation extracurricular of the store.

Smith and 2 different women from the protestation past walked into the store without masks, wherever they were continually asked to leave, according to prosecutors.

While walking astir the store, Smith told different lawsuit that “You don’t person to beryllium scared. It’s each a lie,” portion simultaneously carrying a motion that said “Economic Health = Public Health” and “Healthy People Do Not Wear Masks,” according to the prosecutors.

This caused employees to go concerned, and they escorted different customers retired and locked the doors, the prosecution said.

Smith told the constabulary officers on-scene that she went into the store to bargain a vessel of h2o and that she was being discriminated against owed to her having a aesculapian exemption from wearing the mask, according to prosecutors.

Fred Fascenelli, Smith’s defence attorney, said it was disturbing however rapidly the verdict was reached, fixed however nuanced the instrumentality tin beryllium regarding mask-wearing.

“There’s a batch of instrumentality determination and analyzable issues,” helium said.

“She’s not offended by idiosyncratic other wearing a look covering,” helium said. “She physically can’t deterioration one. She has an contented that prevents her from doing that. She told the clerk she can’t deterioration a mask and told the constabulary she could not deterioration a mask.”

Fascenelli said helium believes the American justness strategy is the champion successful the satellite but thinks the assemblage got it incorrect this time.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer had a antithetic response, saying it was an contented of backstage spot rights.

“The suspect wanted to marque this astir masks and freedom,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said successful a statement. “This proceedings was astir a backstage concern and workers conscionable trying to comply with section and authorities wellness orders.”

“Instead the suspect bullied her mode astir the store and yelled astatine masked aged shoppers that they were portion of a authorities conspiracy. As the elected District Attorney of Orange County I americium liable for protecting backstage spot rights.”

City News Service contributed to this report.