Suspect charged with hate crime for destroying Satanic Temple display at Iowa Capitol
- Thread starter THE_DEVIL
- Start date
meh... make the guy pay $666 in restitution and keep it moving.
A Mississippi man who admitted to destroying a statue of the pagan idol Baphomet at the Iowa Capitol has been charged with a hate crime.
The statue was part of a display organized by the Satanic Temple of Iowa under state rules allowing religious displays in the Iowa Capitol during the holidays. The installation drew strong criticism from state and national leaders, including Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. On Dec. 14, the centerpiece of the display, a figure depicting the horned deity Baphomet, was "destroyed beyond repair," according to the Satanic Temple of Iowa.
Michael Cassidy, a former congressional candidate from Mississippi, was charged the following day with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor. The Lauderdale, Mississippi, man told the conservative website The Sentinel that “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted.”
Now, Polk County prosecutors have accused Cassidy of a more serious offense. A charging document made public Tuesday charges him with felony third-degree criminal mischief and notes that the act was committed "in violation of individual rights" under Iowa's hate crime statute.
"Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion," triggering the violation of individual rights enhancement, said Lynn Hicks, a spokesman for the Polk County Attorney's Office.
Cassidy's attorney, Sara Pasquale, declined to comment Tuesday on the new charge. In previous court filings, she has accused the Satanic Temple of making premature filings that, "like the timing and substance of the Satanic Temple of Iowa’s installation of a demonic statue in the capitol building... are only meant to evoke strong emotions and incite others."
Hicks said in a statement that based on information from the Satanic Temple, the cost to replace or repair the statue would be between $750 and $1,500, making its destruction an aggravated misdemeanor. (In fact, the Temple has filed a damage estimate putting the cost to replace the statute at $3,000.) What makes the charge a felony, Hicks said, is the hate crime statute.
Good. The moron drove from Mississippi to destroy a religious display in our state capital. He then started fundraising off of his illegal act.
Charge him and convict him.
Charge him and convict him.
can't wait til these chaplains are allowed in the schoolsThis country is getting worse every day.
11, 6, 3, 7, 9, 4, 1, 2, 5, 10, 8This country is getting worse every day.
Per Jeff Angelo, Need To Know, 1040 WHO radio, the Polk County Attorney is "Soros funded" and "leftwing in their views".
Yep, this country is heading the wrong way.
The guy is guilty of destruction of property. Restitution and community service makes perfect sense to me. I don’t see how this rises to the level of a hate crime.
The Satanic Temple doesn’t even believe in Satan. They just use Satanic imagery to troll Christians. Getting charged with a hate crime for kicking over a statue of Baphomet makes about as much sense as getting charged with a hate crime for punching a guy who’s wearing blackface.
The Satanic Temple doesn’t even believe in Satan. They just use Satanic imagery to troll Christians. Getting charged with a hate crime for kicking over a statue of Baphomet makes about as much sense as getting charged with a hate crime for punching a guy who’s wearing blackface.
LOL you're pathetic
Because a small group of people get together to celebrate an imaginary idol? Pretty sure that happens daily in this country.
I think 666 days would better reform him
This all makes sense to me, but I feel like a man that is so unhinged as to drive all the way from Mississippi to do this is a man that needs more correction than a fine.
This is not the same as some idiot who just happens to be near the display and decides to be offended and destroy it.
Making excuses for a scumbag that broke the law.
Ehh I think it should be more than that. He is in his actions AT MINIMUM attempting to restrict the free speech rights of others.
I can see what you are saying about a hate crime I sort of had that thought myself that they didn't really even believe in Satan they were just trying to troll people.
But what he's doing is still stifling someone's free speech. I personally think there needs to be a category for that when people go and destroy things such as flags or signs or symbols or bumper stickers because they don't like the content of the speech. It's not necessarily a hate crime but it's not quite the same thing simple property destruction either.
Look at our non-binary friends!This country is getting worse every day.
My guess is that Kim will intervene and try to stop this. I do imagine if this case went the other way, the Christian right would want to stone the man to death.
You guys do know that they don't actually worship Satan, right?
For what purpose? What does the info you provided have to do with the asshole that illegally destroyed the display?
It provides some needed context as it relates to the new charges.
