A man from Iowa will be locked up for 16 years at a cost of almost half a million dollars for burning an LGBTQ flag.
The United Church of Christ in Ames, Iowa, had a rainbow LGBT flag flying on their church property to show their contempt for Jesus and hatred of the Bible. Adolfo Martinez (30) unwisely and wrongly set the flag ablaze. Although the only damage done was to a flag that retails for less than $20 on Amazon, he was just given 16 years in prison for the offense.
Sixteen years.
The definition of “draconian” refers to laws (or their application) that are excessively harsh and severe. The cost of housing an inmate in Iowa is $37,908 per year, and will cost taxpayers $494,528 if he is not given early release.
That’s nearly half a million dollars taxpayers are on the hook for a man burning a $20 flag.
Martinez’s sentencing was so rough because 15 years was for a “hate crime” and one year was for the reckless use of fire. In other words, 15 years of that 16 years he’ll spend in jail is not for the crime itself, but his motivation behind the crime.
Martinez said he disagreed with homosexuality, so that was the reason for locking him up 16 times longer for that than for the actual offense.
