Current:Home > FinanceMississippi man accused of destroying statue of pagan idol at Iowa state Capitol takes plea deal -Capitatum
Mississippi man accused of destroying statue of pagan idol at Iowa state Capitol takes plea deal
View
Date:2025-04-16 06:04:39
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Mississippi man accused of destroying a statue of a pagan idol at Iowa’s state Capitol pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge in return for prosecutors dropping a felony hate crime count.
Michael Cassidy, a former congressional and legislative candidate, was set for trial June 3, but his attorney filed a guilty plea on his behalf to an aggravated misdemeanor count of third-degree criminal mischief, the Des Moines Register reported. Cassidy admitted in writing that he “partially dismantled a display in the Iowa State Capitol Building, without a right/license to do so,” and that the damage was greater than $750.
The statue of the horned deity Baphomet was brought to the Capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa under state rules allowing religious displays in the building during the holidays. The move drew strong criticism from state and national leaders, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Florida Gov. and then-presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, both Republicans.
On Dec. 14, the figure depicting the horned deity Baphomet was “destroyed beyond repair,” according to the group.
“I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged,” Cassidy told the conservative website The Sentinel in December. “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted.”
Cassidy raised more than $134,000 for his defense via the Christian fundraising site GiveSendGo, where supporters said he acted with “bravery and conviction. He was not willing to see God reviled, especially in a building where lawmakers are supposed to honor Jesus Christ as King and look to his law for wisdom as they legislate with justice and righteousness.”
Founded in 2013, the Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple says it doesn’t believe in Satan but describes itself as a “non-theistic religious organization” that advocates for secularism. It is separate from the Church of Satan, which was founded in the 1960s.
The plea agreement calls for Cassidy to receive a deferred judgment with two years probation, an $855 civil penalty, and to pay restitution in an amount to be determined. He would also be required to participate in a victim-offender dialogue with representatives of the Satanic Temple if requested. The sentencing recommendation is not binding on the court, however.
veryGood! (854)
Related
- How effective is the Hyundai, Kia anti-theft software? New study offers insights.
- Supreme Court takes up regulation of social media platforms in cases from Florida and Texas
- With trial starting next month, Manhattan DA asks judge for a gag order in Trump’s hush-money case
- Are robocalls ruining your day? Steps to block spam calls on your smartphone
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Donald Trump appeals $454 million judgment in New York civil fraud case
- Tennessee bill addressing fire alarms after Nashville school shooting heads to governor
- Why Blake Lively Says Her Nervous System “Feels Electrified” Since Having Kids
- The seven biggest college football quarterback competitions include Michigan, Ohio State
- Alabama judge shot in home; son arrested and charged, authorities say
Ranking
- FBI: California woman brought sword, whip and other weapons into Capitol during Jan. 6 riot
- MLB's 'billion dollar answer': Building a horse geared to win in the modern game
- Primary apathy in Michigan: Democrats, GOP struggle as supporters mull whether to even vote
- Attorneys argue over whether Mississippi legislative maps dilute Black voting power
- Kourtney Kardashian Cradles 9-Month-Old Son Rocky in New Photo
- What The Bachelor's Joey Graziadei Wants Fans to Know Ahead of Emotional Season Finale
- Beyoncé and the Houston Rodeo: What to know about the event and the singer's ties to it
- Tipped-over Odysseus moon lander, spotted by lunar orbiter, sends back pictures
Recommendation
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
Ex-commander charged in alleged illegal recording of Pittsburgh officers
Beyoncé and the Houston Rodeo: What to know about the event and the singer's ties to it
Ex-commander charged in alleged illegal recording of Pittsburgh officers
Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
Why so much of the US is unseasonably hot
Firefighters needed so much water that a Minnesota town’s people were asked to go without
Republicans say Georgia student’s killing shows Biden’s migration policies have failed