Governor Jerry Brown approves removing “lynching” from California code

California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation that strips the word “lynching” from California law.

The Democratic governor announced signing SB629 by Sen. Holly Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat, on Thursday.

Mitchell took up the issue after a black activist was charged with felony lynching in Sacramento earlier this year. It applies to the crime of attempting to seize someone from police custody.

California lawmakers voted unanimously to strike the word “lynching” from the books last month, noting its racially charged nature.

In Sacramento, a district attorney has since downgraded the charges against 20-year-old Maile Hampton to something more conventional.

A Black Lives Matter protester in Los Angeles was charged with felony lynching last week in a separate incident.