Iowa man who burned pride flag stolen from church sentenced to 16 years

New York Post ^ | December 20, 2019 | Amanda Woods

[gattaca]

An Iowa man will spend up to 16 years behind bars for stealing a pride flag from an Iowa church and setting it on fire — a sentence that even a local LGBTQ group says might be excessive, according to a new report.

Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was sentenced Wednesday for stealing the pride banner hanging at Ames Church of Christ back in June — and then burning it with lighter fluid and a lighter outside the Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, The Des Moines Register reported.

[Don Corleone]

16 years for a Lesbo flag. ZERO years for the American Flag. C’mon Americans. Lets dump the Marxists and dump them deep.

[AAABEST]

W-T-F

[Delta 21]

Obviously he burned the wrong flag. Shoulda thought differently.

[unread]

Had enough yet...??

[heshtesh]

a sentence that even a local LGBTQ group says might be excessive

What do we have, a butthurt closeted fagget judge?

[Meatspace]

“But since Martinez is considered a “habitual offender,” a longer term is permissible.”

His prior convictions worked against him.

[bert]

There is no good live queer

The only good queer is in the closet

[Gay State Conservative]

I suppose he deserves to spend a little time behind bars....for “endangerment” for example. Ten bucks says he would have,at most,gotten probation if he had done *exactly* the same thing with an American flag...or a Christian or Jewish bible.

[TLI]

Not any mention of who the judge is that sentenced him.

Can’t find that anywhere.

.

[gloryblaze]

The arson as a hate crime charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. A year and a month is customary for the other two charges, according to the Register.

But since Martinez is considered a “habitual offender,” a longer term is permissible.

He didn't try to burn down the whole church. His previous offenses must have been some doozies.

[Meatspace]

Most of his sentence is based on his being a habitual offender.

[ARW]

SCOTUS has already decided that burning a flag is protected speech. So, it’s a little hard to square his conviction for a hate crime or arson with it. Still, stealing is stealing and so is trespassing but, c’mon, 16 effin years? Free speech issue for scotus but it will never get there.

[Meatspace]

Usually if you are in parole and you are released with five or ten years remaining on that sentence, they can tack that time on to a sentence if you are convicted of another offense.

[proust]

Turns out homo sex makes America great again. Who knew?

[bert]

To scorn queers is not a crime nor is it hate

Scorn is ok and legal. Ditto contempt

I hold Nancy Pelosi in contempt, with complete scorn for her very being

[A_Former_Democrat]

Isn’t there a Constitutional ban on excessive fines and punishments?

[Gay State Conservative]

I can see where "habitual offender" might be worthy of consideration when the *current* crime is serious. A guy with a history of armed robberies (for example) might get more time on a rape conviction than he might have gotten without that history.

But stealing and burning a flag?

I'm no lawyer but I can easily see this sentence overturned in the Federal courts.

[proust]

[samtheman]

If he was a muslim, he could run for office in Michigan’s 13th congressional district.