Minnesota woman guilty of assaulting non-English speaker

October 17, 2016 - 10:27 AM

ANOKA, Minn. - A Minnesota woman has pleaded guilty to assault for attacking another woman in a restaurant because she was speaking Swahili.

Jodie Burchard-Risch was at an Applebee's in Coon Rapids last year when she smashed her glass beer mug in Asma Jama's face, causing significant injuries. A criminal complaint said Burchard-Risch became upset before the attack because Jama wasn't speaking English.

The 44-year-old Burchard-Risch pleaded guilty Monday to third-degree assault.

Jama told reporters she was happy with the guilty plea.

Under the plea deal, Burchard-Risch will face 180 days in jail and five years of probation. If she violates probation, she could spend about three years in prison. She'll be sentenced in December.

News from © The Associated Press, 2016

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