The Mississippi man who destroyed a statue erected by the Satanic Temple of Iowa within the state Capitol final 12 months faces years in jail after being charged with a hate crime. Navy veteran Michael Cassidy has been charged with felony third-degree prison mischief. He was initially charged with misdemeanor prison mischief, however in an announcement, prosecutors mentioned, “the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion.” In consequence, prosecutors tacked on a hate crime enhancement, growing the cost from a misdemeanor to a category D felony, punishable by as much as 5 years in jail and as much as $10,245 in fines. The prosecutors’ assertion mentioned that based mostly on data supplied by the Satanists, it might price between $750 and $1,500 to restore or exchange the statue.
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