*A Maryland hairstylist who posted a video of herself dragging a 15-year-old client at her home salon has been sentenced to five years in prison with all but six months suspended, FOX 5 reports. She will serve those six months under home detention.
In November, a jury convicted 19-year-old Jayla Cunningham of second-degree assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. During sentencing, Cunningham asked for probation, telling Judge Michael Pearson, “I really do regret what I did… Can you have faith in me? Can you believe in me that I am trying?”
Judge Pearson acknowledged Cunningham may not be a bad person, but said the video, which has been viewed over 50 million times, could not be ignored. “The disregard you showed that young lady on that day is unacceptable,” he said. “I trust you’re going to learn from it.”
Surveillance footage shows Cunningham pulling the teen across the floor by her hood toward a doorway. According to charging documents, the girl’s mother accused Cunningham of telling her daughter “not to move until I get my money” and threatening her with scissors. The teen’s mother filed charges after the incident. The documents also state that Cunningham admitted in an online video to using scissors to remove the hairstyle.
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The assault occurred after Cunningham suspected the client was trying to leave the salon without paying for the hairstyle. Cunningham’s attorney, Samuel Elira, argued she was protecting her business. He explained that she ran a licensed hair-braiding salon and spent hours styling the girl’s hair. Following the incident, she lost both her business and apartment. Elira said Cunningham used scissors to “take the service out” of the client’s hair, not to physically harm her.
Prosecutors emphasized that the teenager had attempted to pay electronically and pointed to Cunningham’s lack of remorse in videos she posted on TikTok.
As part of her sentence, Cunningham will serve probation, undergo mental health treatment, and complete anger management.
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