You'll recall that the local activist was walking several blocks from her home on May 17, 2013 to meet some friends at a bar and was profiled by an undercover cop executing a prostitution sting. She was arrested and convicted of violating an unjust law in Phoenix.
She subsequently appealed her conviction for Walking While Black Trans in August, and yesterday the Arizona Superior Court overturned her April 2014 conviction for manifesting intent to solicit prostitution under an unjust Phoenix law the ACLU, Ms Jones and other have argued is unconstitutional.
Of course Ms. Jones and her legal team were ecstatic about the victorious outcome
Jean-Jacques Cabou, a partner at the law firm of PerkinsCoie who represented Monica in her appeal and argued her case, said: “Monica was convicted in an unconstitutional trial, under an unconstitutional law, of a crime she didn’t commit. We are incredibly pleased that the appellate court agreed that Monica was unconstitutionally denied the presumption of innocence and that the court vacated her conviction.”
“Monica Jones was targeted by law enforcement after her public opposition to the coercive treatment of sex workers by Project ROSE," said Dan Pochoda, senior counsel at the ACLU of Arizona. "The demise of this Project is based on the inaccurate claim that most adult sex workers are "trafficked" is further vindication of Monica.”
This case may not be over just yet. The State of Arizona may wish to refile the charges, so stay tuned. But Monica won this legal round, and congrats to Ms. Jones and her legal team for standing up for her human rights and striking a blow for justice.
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