Man Gets 15 Years For Burning LGBTQ flag...

[seer]

I bet if he took down and burned an American flag or Christian flag he would be lauded and praised...

Iowa man who sets LGBTQ flag on fire gets over 15 years in prisonhttps://www.foxnews.com/us/iowa-lgbt...-church-prison

[firstfloor]

[KingsGambit]

15 years seems excessive for arson unless there's additional context (like I would view 15 years for setting a crowded night club on fire as a light sentence) we're not seeing here (I did see in one article that his sentence was increased for being a multiple offender, but that still in itself wouldn't justify 15 years to me).

[Starlight]

NBC:

At the time of his November conviction, KCCI reported that the "habitual offender" charge filed against Martinez called for a lengthier penalty...

Courtney Reyes, executive director of One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, said... "true justice should always strive to be about rehabilitation, reconciliation, and healing communities. It is difficult to see how a 16-year prison sentence accomplishes any of those goals."

Seems like yet another case of the US having absurdly and unjustifiably long prison sentences, especially in cases of repeat offences.

[Sparko]

NBC:

At the time of his November conviction, KCCI reported that the "habitual offender" charge filed against Martinez called for a lengthier penalty...

Courtney Reyes, executive director of One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, said... "true justice should always strive to be about rehabilitation, reconciliation, and healing communities. It is difficult to see how a 16-year prison sentence accomplishes any of those goals."

Seems like yet another case of the US having absurdly and unjustifiably long prison sentences, especially in cases of repeat offences.

I think it would depend on what he was convicted of in the past. If he was burning down buildings for example or people were hurt in the commission of his past crimes, then I can see a 16 year sentence. He shouldn't be burning anything in public or private.

[Cow Poke]

I think it would depend on what he was convicted of in the past. If he was burning down buildings for example or people were hurt in the commission of his past crimes, then I can see a 16 year sentence. He shouldn't be burning anything in public or private.

Or if he were on probation or parole, and a condition was further acts -- or a situation like deferred adjudication.

[JimL]

I bet if he took down and burned an American flag or Christian flag he would be lauded and praised...

Seems quite harsh, though he'll probably be out in a few years at most. My guess is that he got the stiff sentence because though ignorant, he's a bigoted religious zealot who professed no remorse. In fact was proud of it. In other words he made it clear that he'd do it again, and maybe worse. Had he been just an idiot prankster who apoligized to the court, he probably would have gotten probation.

[Cow Poke]

From those extreme right-wing zealots at Snopes...

Several news articles failed to mention that Martinez' sentence would not have been nearly so long if he had not already been convicted of two previous felonies and treated as an "habitual offender," in keeping with Iowa state law. In that circumstance, his criminal history tripled the maximum available sentence for arson from five years to 15 years.