Photo: Orange County Police Department
A 26-year-old Black woman with special needs was sentenced for a petty theft of goods from Target, sparking renewed calls for criminal justice reform.
Imarah Aaliyah Bryan, 26, was initially arrested in May for allegedly stealing under $200 worth of items from a Target store in Orlando, Florida. Bryan was jailed for roughly 50 days before appearing in court this month to accept a no-contest plea, which allows defendants to avoid trial without admitting guilt while still accepting punishment. The 26-year-old was ordered to pay $339 in restitution to the police department, $500 for bond, and was banned from returning to the Target where the alleged theft occurred.
Video from the court hearing shared on social media shows Bryan quietly responding "Yes, I do" when the judge asks if she understands the plea deal. The judge stated that Bryan appeared "alert, intelligent, and represented by counsel."
However, social media users expressed outrage over Bryan's treatment by the justice system.
"They really locked up a special needs woman for 50 DAYS over $49 at Target... make it make sense," one X user wrote.
"So much crime out there and they’re arresting her? for 49$? where’s her caretaker," another user questioned.
"@Target is trash for pressing charges. This is why we boycott," a third person wrote.
In response to the backlash from Bryan's sentencing, Deanna Carroll, a woman who saw Bryan’s video on social media, launched a GoFundMe campaign to support her.
“Her story stopped me in my tracks,” Carroll wrote. “Watching her video, it’s clear she’s well-spoken, kind-hearted, and full of joy. Imarah also lives with special needs, and her situation touched thousands across the TikTok community who shared the same question I had: How could someone like her be left in jail for so long over such a minor charge?”
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