Is burning the gay flag a haye crime
![is burning the gay flag a haye crime is burning the gay flag a haye crime](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9c9fc69/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x1701+0+104/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0b%2F6f%2F698410704ee199779502302be250%2Fimage-from-ios-216.jpg)
“I believe him to be very dangerous,” Reynolds said. Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames last month was found guilty of a hate. Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds told KCCI since Martinez has a long history of harassment and was also charged as a habitual offender, he faced a harsher penalty. DES MOINES, Iowa An Iowa man was sentenced to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June. “We will continue to strive for a justice system which values restoration over punishment and helps individuals like Adolfo Martinez understand the harm that they’ve caused.” Reyes said that while her organization is appreciative of the seriousness of the crime, it does not see how the long sentence “accomplishes any of those goals.” “That said, true justice should always strive to be about rehabilitation, reconciliation, and healing communities.” “Hate crimes against the LGBTQ community are a serious matter as they inflict distinct emotional harms on their victims, and strike fear into the communities they target,” Courtney Reyes, the executive director of One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ organization, said. Fifteen of the 16 years were just for the hate crime. Hate crime laws are out of control, tweeted Joel Kurtinitis, a contributor to The Federalist. For context, the average sentence for rape is under ten years. Martinez said he was guilty and had no intention of fighting the charges as he “knowingly, intentionally and willingly” burned the flag. This guy just got 16 years in prison for burning the flag of a state-protected group. The 30-year-old faces 15 years in prison after being found guilty of a hate crime, third-degree harassment, and being a habitual offender, KCCI reported. He then returned to the strip club where he used lighter fluid to burn the flag in the street. “It’s a blessing from the Lord to be able to stand for his world firmly, against all odds.” The Iowa man was found guilty of committing a hate crime against the Iowa gay community. “It was an honor to do that,” Martinez told CNN affiliate KCCI.
![is burning the gay flag a haye crime is burning the gay flag a haye crime](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/5914/production/_110240822_capasdf23423ture.jpg)
Martinez said he removed the flag because he didn’t believe the church should support the LGBT community since it is a house of worship, the police report read. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.ĪMES, Iowa - A man has been sentenced to 15 years after burning an LGBT flag hanging from a church in Iowa.Īdolfo Martinez was found guilty on Wednesday after tearing down and burning the flag which was flying at the Ames United Church of Christ in June. “But also something that we’re not going to tolerate here in Forsyth County.”įorsyth County was at the center of a national firestorm in 1987 when “The Oprah Winfrey Show” came to town to tape an episode on race relations.This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Cuomo said he was appalled by the incident at Alibi Lounge, the only gay bar in the neighborhood around 139th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. 1:52 DES MOINES, Iowa An Iowa man was sentenced to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church LGBTQ flag in June. “It is an isolated incident,” Regan told the AJC. Georgia is one of five states without a hate crime law but there is a federal statute.
![is burning the gay flag a haye crime is burning the gay flag a haye crime](https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/pride-flag-us-embassy-israel-file-gty-jef-1900607_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg)
“We do believe they were targeted due to their sexual orientation,” Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Robin Regan told the AJC. The data in the infographic below was compiled from the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. The same accelerant was apparently poured on the ground around the vehicle and ignited as well. The incident occurred after a homeowner on Hurt Bridge Road in Cumming replaced her American flag with a rainbow flag following the Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality.Īn unknown person removed the flag, laid it on the windshield of the victim’s car and set it on fire with what police believe is tiki torch fluid, according a report by CBS 46 News. Forsyth County police are investigating an anti-gay hate crime that occurred Monday night.