Suspect accused of destroying Satanic display at Iowa Capitol charged with hate crime

A Mississippi man who admitted to destroying a statue of the pagan idol Baphomet at the Iowa Capitol has been charged with a hate crime.

The statue was part of a display organized by the Satanic Temple of Iowa under state rules allowing religious displays in the Iowa Capitol during the holidays. The installation drew strong criticism from state and national leaders, including Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis. On Dec. 14, the centerpiece of the display, a figure depicting the horned deity Baphomet, was "destroyed beyond repair," according to the Satanic Temple of Iowa.

Michael Cassidy, a former congressional candidate from Mississippi, was charged the following day with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor. The Lauderdale, Mississippi, man told the conservative website The Sentinel that “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted.”

Now, Polk County prosecutors have accused Cassidy of a more serious offense. A charging document made public Tuesday charges him with felony third-degree criminal mischief and notes that the act was committed "in violation of individual rights" under Iowa's hate crime statute.

"Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion," triggering the violation of individual rights enhancement, said Lynn Hicks, a spokesman for the Polk County Attorney's Office.

Cassidy's attorney, Sara Pasquale, declined to comment Tuesday on the new charge. In previous court filings, she has accused the Satanic Temple of making premature filings that, "like the timing and substance of the Satanic Temple of Iowa’s installation of a demonic statue in the capitol building... are only meant to evoke strong emotions and incite others."

Hicks said in a statement that based on information from the Satanic Temple, the cost to replace or repair the statue would be between $750 and $1,500, making its destruction an aggravated misdemeanor. (In fact, the Temple has filed a damage estimate putting the cost to replace the statute at $3,000.) What makes the charge a felony, Hicks said, is the hate crime statute.

Court records show Cassidy is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 15. He has raised more than $84,000 for his legal defense from nearly 2,000 supporters, according to fundraising site GiveSendGo.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 715-573-8166.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Capitol Satanic display vandalism draws hate crime charge