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-Land of the Free
Iowa man sentenced to 16 years for setting LGBTQ flag on fire
2019-12-20
[MSN] An Ames man was sentenced Wednesday to about 16 years in prison after he set fire to a church's LGBTQ flag in June.

Adolfo Martinez, 30, of Ames, was found guilty last month of third-degree arson in violation of individual rights ‐ hate crime, third-degree harassment, and reckless use of fire as a habitual offender.

He was arrested after stealing a pride banner hanging at Ames United Church of Christ, 217 6th St., and burning it early June 11 outside Dangerous Curves Gentleman’s Club, 111 5th St., police said.

Martinez admitted to police that he lit the banner on fire with lighter fluid and a lighter after stealing it from the church, according to court documents.
Posted by:Besoeker

#17  not if you're considered a habitual violator. I'm not saying the judge was right about the hate crime but I've been through the system and know what a habitual violator status brings.
Posted by: chris   2019-12-20 18:21  

#16  Not to worry - it will turn out that he's an illegal, so they'll have to set him free.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-12-20 16:46  

#15  15 years for hate crime. 1 year for being a fire bug.
Posted by: bbrewer126    2019-12-20 16:22  

#14  Or.
People at the strip club keep hanging that flag up at the church to be belligerent and he was returning it, again, slightly used.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2019-12-20 15:53  

#13  The judge should be impeached. Clearly the judge in question doesn't understand the highest law of the land.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2019-12-20 14:45  

#12  that ship has already sailed.
Posted by: chris   2019-12-20 12:31  

#11  Perhaps, but this is being presented as a chilling display to curb public protest of the gay agenda of superior rights and special privilege that makes any anti-gay act a hate crime, of free speech. For the left the new tool to limit speech is to assert that “hate” negates protected freedom of expression. And they get to define what is “hate”.
Posted by: NoMoreBS   2019-12-20 12:10  

#10  I agree with all of you about the freedom of speech argument but if you look at the list of charges, Habitual offender of reckless use of fire is more than likely why the sentence is so hard. This isn't someone protesting he's a firebug.
Posted by: chris   2019-12-20 11:18  

#9  SS, Flag-Burning Edition.

Apparently Britain's Labour Party at its conferences has adopted the habit of banning displays of the Union Jack and singing of "Rule Britannia" - but encourages display of Palestinian patriotism. Coming soon to a neighborhood Shitshow Thester near you.

We are ruled by morons.
Posted by: Lex   2019-12-20 10:16  

#8  Headline worthy of the Bee!
Posted by: Warthog   2019-12-20 10:15  

#7  The President should just keep pardoning anybody the crazy Leftist judges imprison or fine or trifles like this. This and self defense cases like that trafficked girl. Gain some traction with the delinquent and fringe crowd too. You need loyal delinquents right now.
Posted by: Dron66046   2019-12-20 08:16  

#6  And they did it to a guy named Adolfo Martinez.

And a One, and a two, and a three....

"THAT'S RACISS!"
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2019-12-20 08:05  

#5  This won't stand
Posted by: Frank G   2019-12-20 07:21  

#4  It's OK to burn an American flag according to SCOTUS. Those public burnings aren't done in love. This ain't going to fly well.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2019-12-20 07:07  

#3  and some murderers get 5-10
Posted by: Mercutio   2019-12-20 06:26  

#2  Who's the judge what handed down this sentence?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-12-20 06:09  

#1  Wonder what the sentence would be if he had burned the First National Flag of the Confederacy.
Posted by: Uleck Spererong9442   2019-12-20 06:00  

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