A Mississippi man and former Republican congressional candidate pleaded guilty Friday to vandalizing a statue of a pagan idol at the Iowa Capitol in exchange for having a hate crimes charge dropped.
According to the Des Moines Register, Michael Cassidy pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal damage to property, an aggravated misdemeanor, and is scheduled for trial on June 3.
“As you know, we have continued to contest the hate crime and question whether Mr. Cassidy was targeted because of his religious beliefs,” Cassidy’s attorney, Sara Pasquale, told Fox News Digital. “So we’re very pleased that the state has ultimately decided to drop the hate crime charge and we hope that this case will raise awareness of similar situations across the country.”
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A vandalized demonic exhibit is displayed at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, Dec. 15, 2023. A Mississippi man accused of vandalizing a statue of the pagan idol Baphomet pleaded guilty Friday to reduced charges in exchange for prosecutors dropping a felony hate crime charge. (AP Photo/Scott McFetridge)
Cassidy acknowledged that he had removed a statue of the horned god Baphomet, part of an exhibit at the Iowa State Capitol “without right or permission,” which had been brought to the state Capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa.
The group said the building was destroyed beyond repair.
The statue was displayed in accordance with state rules that allow religious displays in buildings on holidays, a move that infuriated state and national leaders, including Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, both Republicans and then-presidential candidates.
“I was outraged by this blasphemous statue,” Cassidy told the conservative website The Sentinel in December. “My conscience is bound by the word of God, not the dictates of government officials, so I acted.”
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Cassidy will receive a two-year suspended sentence, an $855 civil fine and will be ordered to pay a yet-to-be-determined amount of restitution.
The Baphomet statue was erected inside the state Capitol by the Iowa Satanic Temple in December of last year. (Getty Images)
They will also be required to participate in victim-perpetrator dialogue with representatives of the Satanic Temple if requested, but the sentencing recommendation is not binding on the court.
Pasquale said he didn’t know what motivated prosecutors to drop the hate crime charges.
“We’re just grateful that Mr. Cassidy was not involved in a hate crime and we hope that going forward, places like the State Capitol will be clear of similar offensive behavior,” she said.
Polk County Prosecutor’s Office spokeswoman Lynn Hicks said several factors were taken into consideration when the plea agreement was offered.
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“Elements include, but are not limited to, full accountability for criminal conduct, cooperation with law enforcement, availability of evidence and the defendant having no criminal history,” Hicks said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The agreement included restitution, which would provide financial compensation to the victims, and a victim-offender dialogue, which would provide the victims an opportunity to speak directly with the defendant about his actions and how they have impacted them.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the temple.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
