If it was the American flag he’d have gotten a pass since free speech and all that.
“15 years for the hate crime of arson”
Hate crime of arson for a flag? Talk about an overzealous prosecution. If I were the governer I would send the judge an ultimatum, either substantially reduce the sentence or a full pardon will be issued.
Arson is a hate crime?
Quick, pull Fahrenheit 451 off library shelves.
Political prisoner.
The hate is from the Left. That flag is a hate symbol to normal people.
Cruel and unusual punishment. Unless there is more to it than just burning some private property....
It’s called free speech unless the flag belongs to someone else, then theft, trespass; all citations or misdemeanors at worst.
Hate crime laws only create political prisoners. They need to be abolished.
probation at the max
15 years? Did he reeeally take the flag down or did he burn it while it was on the church?
Is this a joke? I can’t even see this happening in some parts of Europe. Fifteen years!!
His sentence should have been no more than a small fine, replacement cost of the flag, and a warning. This is insanity if real.
Well he was stupid. Tearing down the churches Sodom GPS to God.
A couple of observations after reading multiple articles on this story:
1. Mr. Martinez would be very wise to appeal the sentence to higher courts - the US Supreme Court if need be.
2. This is NOT Martinez’s first run in with the law - he was charged as a habitual offender, which indicates he has multiple prior convictions.
3. He trespassed onto private property (a church), tore down the flag and then burned it (theft/destruction of private property). Regardless of his motives, that alone warrants a conviction - the sentence may or may not be excessive, but the conviction is not. I see this as no different than convicting a habitual offender that stole a MAGA hat and burned it.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/16/maryland-maga-hat-attack-and-burglary-2-men-arrested-police-say/3491206002/
If he had burned a gay pride flag that he owned, then there is no way in Hades that the conviction would stand on appeal, however since he trespassed, stole, and destroyed the private property of another the conviction itself is just.
A hate crime against an inanimate object? What a wild counrty.
WTF?
That’s judicial terrorism!
Go to SCOTUS and impeach the hateful judge
Hate crimes are such subjective BS. They should all be abolished.
Wouldn’t this be an appropriate time for groups of conservatives to band together and conduct mass alphabet flag burnings— in solidarity with this guy and pointing out the SCOTUS 1989 decision?
After all, those who burn the US flag want the US as a whole destroyed.
We, OTOH, are simply fed up with the LGBTs ruling over us & coming after our kids. We aren’t actively trying to wipe them out. But we shouldn’t have their flag flying over us.
But if you are a muzz and you murder a White woman you’ll get 12.5 years.
How come burning an American flag is “protected speech” but this is a “hate crime”? (I know why, and I doesn’t give me optimism for the future of the country.)
This needs to go to appeal.
Bad enough to just be hating on their flag, but then causing more global warming with his first degree deliberate act of carbon emissions, too?
I’m surprised they didn’t just kill him outright for his blatant terrorism against Social Justice, may pees be upon it.