Midwest
Navy Reserve veteran pleads guilty to beheading Satanic statue in Iowa State Capitol
A Mississippi man, and former Republican congressional candidate, pleaded guilty Friday in connection to the vandalism of a statue of a pagan idol at the Iowa state capitol in exchange for the dropping of a hate crime charge.
Michael Cassidy pleaded guilty to an aggravated misdemeanor count of third-degree criminal mischief, the Des Moines Register reported. He was slated to go to trial on June 3.
“As you’re likely aware, we have continually contested the hate crime and questioned whether Mr. Cassidy was being targeted due to his religious beliefs,” Cassidy’s attorney, Sara Pasquale, told Fox News Digital. “We are therefore very pleased that the state ultimately decided to drop the hate crime and are hopeful that this case will bring awareness to similar situations throughout the country.”
AMERICAN MISSIONARY COUPLE KILLED IN HAITI, AGENCY SAYS
A damaged Satanic display is shown at the Iowa State Capitol on Dec. 15, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. A Mississippi man accused of destroying a statue of the pagan idol Baphomet pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge in return for prosecutors dropping a felony hate crime count. (AP Photo/Scott McFetridge)
Cassidy admitted that he “partially dismantled a display in the Iowa State Capitol Building, “without a right/license to do so” of the statue of the horned deity Baphomet. The statue was brought to the state capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa.
It was destroyed beyond repair, the group said.
It was displayed under state rules that allow religious displays in the building during holidays. The move angered state and national leaders, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Florida Gov. and then-presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, both Republicans.
“I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged,” Cassidy told the conservative website The Sentinel in December. “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted.”
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Cassidy will receive a deferred judgment with two years probation, an $855 civil penalty and will be ordered to pay restitution in an amount to be determined.
The statue of Baphomet was erected in the capitol building by the Satanic Temple of Iowa last December. (Getty Images)
He would also be required to participate in a victim-offender dialogue with representatives of the Satanic Temple if requested. The sentencing recommendation is not binding on the court, however.
Pasquale said she was not sure what motivated prosecutors to drop the hate crime charge.
“We are simply thankful that Mr. Cassidy no longer faces a hate crime and hopeful that similar, offensive displays will be rejected from places such as state capitol buildings in the future,” she said.
Lynn Hicks, spokesperson for the Polk County Attorney’s Office, said several factors were taken into consideration when the plea agreement was offered.
“Factors can include but are not limited to: taking full accountability for the criminal conduct, cooperation with law enforcement, the availability of evidence, and the defendant’s lack of criminal history,” Hicks said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The agreement included restitution, which can make the victims financially whole, and a victim-offender dialogue, during which the victims will have the opportunity to speak directly with the defendant about what he did and how it affected them.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the temple.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Nebraska women’s basketball landed a commitment from four-star 2027 center Addison Medeck. She was a prolific player for Papillion-La Vista South last season.
Medeck averaged 16.5 points, 12.2 rebounds and shot 59% from the field. She is the 37th-overall player nationally in her class, the 7th-overall center, and the top player in the state of Nebraska, according to the 247Sports Rankings.
Her only offer came from the Huskers and it came on the same day as her commitment. Now, Amy Williams and the coaching staff have locked up another in-state star.
This is the first commitment for the 2027 recruiting class. This gives Nebraska a solid starting point from which to build its class around. Williams and her staff will have a multifaceted player to work with over the next couple of seasons.
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
Filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court
North Dakota
Louis Michel Poeltl, Grand Forks, Chapter 13
Kaylen Rae Stanleyu, formerly known as Kaylen Bahl, Fargo, Chapter 7
Michelle Vasicek, formerly doing business as Luna Wolf Sales, Fargo, Chapter 7
Justin David Scheidt, Bismarck, Chapter 7
Barrett Van Wagner, Dickinson, Chapter 7
Carolyn Williams, Bismarck, Chapter 7
John Todd Ukkelberg, West Fargo, Chapter 7
Natasha Anne Lafrenz, Bismarck, Chapter 7
Daniel Peter Binstock Jr., Bismarck, Chapter 7
Rodney Nelson, Reeder, Chapter 7
Shawn Solberg, Dickinson, Chapter 7
Kansas Aime Yankton, also known as Kansas Cavanaugh, Devils Lakes, Chapter 7
Erica Lynn Truhlicka, Fargo, Chapter 7
Stephanie Renee Hagerott, formerly known as Renee Hehn, Bismarck, Chapter 7
Nathan Thomas Schneider, Lignite, Chapter 7
Daniel Scott Diehl, Dickinson, Chapter 7
Wayne Rynart Courchene, Williston, Chapter 13
David Emil Raymond, Grand Forks, Chapter 7
Krista Renee Reed, West Fargo, Chapter 7
Travis Cecil Tharp, Williston, Chapter 7
Tyrell Michael Ledoux, Bismarck, Chapter 7
William Joseph Horneman, Merrill, Wis., Chapter 13
Kaleb James Brockman, Gwinner, Chapter 7
Edgardo Luis Torres-Rivera, Williston, Chapter 7
Minnesota
Bankruptcy filings from the following counties: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Norman, Otter Tail, Polk, Traverse, Wadena and Wilkin.
Alexander Rudkowski, New York Mills, Chapter 7
Brandon Nash and Kayla Lynne Korn, Alexandria, Chapter 7
Ronald G. and Cindy Jo Schmitz, formerly known as Cindy Mills, formerly doing business as Crystal Rock Healing, Pelican Rapids, Chapter 7
Michael James Jordan, formerly known as Michael James Block-Jordan, and Christina Rose Jordan, Wadena, Chapter 7
Darren Michael McClure, Alexandria, Chapter 7
Steven Madrid Torres, Perham, Chapter 7
Chapter 7 is a petition to liquidate assets and discharge debts.
Chapter 11 is a petition for protection from creditors and to reorganize.
Chapter 12 is a petition for family farmers to reorganize.
Chapter 13 is a petition for wage earners to readjust debts.
Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.
The U.S. Bicentennial in 1976 was a monumental, year-long celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Coming in the aftermath of the turbulent 1960s, the political disillusionment of the Watergate scandal and President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974, and the capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese and the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, the Bicentennial served as a crucial moment of national healing.
The festivities culminated on the Fourth of July 1976, with spectacular events staged across the country. The most enduring legacy of the celebration in Columbus is Bicentennial Park, located in the Downtown riverfront area along the Scioto River.
Dedicated on July 4, 1976, this 4.7-acre green space was built to permanently commemorate the nation’s 200th birthday. The park’s initial centerpiece was a massive fountain system featuring four circular pools that could shoot water 60 feet into the air.
From May 22 to June 2, 1975, Columbus served as the 11th official stop for the American Freedom Train. This massive, steam-powered rolling museum carried more than 500 priceless historical artifacts – including copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution – across all 48 contiguous states.
The train was displayed at the Defense Construction Supply Center [DCSC] in Whitehall and drew massive crowds of local families. Columbus held a special distinction during the tour: it was one of only three cities nationwide where the “Splendid Spirit” car was included with the train.
Warren Motts, the founding director of Motts Military Museum in Groveport, traveled with the train for its entire 25,000-mile journey, capturing the official photos that documented this historic event.
Beyond these massive metropolitan events, the true spirit of the Bicentennial thrived at the grassroots level. The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA) encouraged local communities to form their own committees, leading to thousands of unique municipal projects.
Towns across the nation hosted local parades, commissioned historical murals, dedicated new parks, and sealed time capsules intended for the tricentennial in 2076.
It also triggered a resurgence of interest in local history and genealogy, as everyday citizens sought to trace their own roots back to the nation’s founding eras.
The civic energy and patriotism generated by the 1976 celebrations also helped pave the way for other major local traditions. Just a few years later, in 1981, Columbus launched its annual Red, White & Boom! celebration, which grew into the largest Independence Day fireworks display in the Midwest—a tradition deeply rooted in the community pride revived during the Bicentennial era.
Get involved in America 250 at your library this year! Visit columbulibrary.org for a full list of America 250 events.
Angela O’Neal is Local History & Genealogy Manager with the Columbus Metropolitan Library.
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