DES MOINES, Iowa – A Mississippi man accused of destroying a statue of a pagan idol at the Iowa State Capitol pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge in exchange for prosecutors dropping a hate crime count.
Michael Cassidy, a former congressional and legislative candidate, was scheduled for trial on June 3, but his attorney entered a guilty plea on his behalf to an aggravated misdemeanor charge of third-degree criminal mischief, the Des Moines reported Register. Cassidy admitted in writing that he “partially dismantled an exhibit at the Iowa State Capitol without the right/license to do so” and that the damage was more 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 sharp criticism from state and national leaders, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Florida Governor and then-presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, both Republicans.
On December 14, the figure representing the horned deity Baphomet was “destroyed beyond repair,” according to the group.
“I saw this blasphemous statue and I was outraged,” Cassidy told conservative website The Sentinel in December. “My conscience is tied to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decrees. And then I acted.”
Cassidy raised more than $134,000 for his defense through the Christian fundraising website GiveSendGo, where supporters said he acted with “bravery and conviction. He was unwilling to see God reviled, especially in a building where legislators were supposed to honor Jesus Christ as King and look to his law for wisdom while legislating with justice and righteousness.”
Founded in 2013, the Salem, Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple says it does not believe in Satan, but describes itself as a “nontheistic religious organization” that advocates 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 of probation, an $855 civil fine and 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.
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