Hunter
05/27/24
A man so incensed about a Satanic Temple display at the Iowa State Capitol Building during the holidays that he traveled from Mississippi to destroy it has reached a plea deal.
CBS2 reports that online documents filed Friday show Michael Cassidy admitted he “partially dismantled a display in the Iowa State Capitol Building, without a right/license to do so, causing damage in excess of $750.”
Cassidy told the Des Moines Register in December when he saw the display, he was, quote, “confronted with how evil it was and felt convicted that I should remove it.”
Cassidy and prosecutors agreed to a deferred judgement, two years of probation, paying restitution, and an $855 civil penalty. He pleaded guilty to an aggravated misdemeanor criminal mischief charge to get a felony charge dropped.
Cassidy got donations from around the country totaling around $130,000 to fund his legal fees. In response, the Raygun company created a t-shirt supporting the Satanic Temple.
The Temple organized the display, citing Iowa law allowing religious displays at the Statehouse over the holidays. Governor Kim Reynolds was urged to remove the display, but said the government shouldn’t be deciding which religions are acceptable.