Louisiana Man Gets 25 Years For Torching 3 Black Churches
Source: AP News
LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) A Louisiana man who admitted to burning down three predominantly African American churches to promote himself as a black metal musician was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay the churches $2.6 million.
U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays of Lafayette sentenced Holden Matthews, giving the 23-year-old man credit for 18 months he already spent in jail, U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook said in a news release.
Matthews admitted to setting the fires because of the religious character of these buildings, in an effort to raise his profile as a Black Metal musician by copying similar crimes committed in Norway in the 1990s, the statement said.
Matthews had shown interest in black metal, an extreme subgenre of heavy metal, according to authorities. The music has been linked, in some instances, to fires at Christian churches in Norway. Matthews told the judge, pastors and congregations of the three Baptist churches that he was deeply sorry and wanted them to know he had recovered his faith in God, The Advocate reported.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-baptist-crime-lafayette-louisiana-4c25b60217cdeacb289290c7fe626089
Summerhays ordered Matthews to pay $1.1 million in restitution to Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church and $970,213.30 to Greater Union Baptist Church, both in Opelousas, and $590,246 to St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church in Port Barre.
All three were burned down over 10 days in March and April of 2019. The churches were empty at the time of the fires, and no one was injured. Although race was not considered a motive, Summerhays said, he had to consider that the crime brought the church communities back to a dark time of racial discrimination, the newspaper reported.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)that Crack Head could not rub 2 nickels together.
sandensea
(21,627 posts)I remember there being a wave of Black church bombings/arsons in the south after Clinton won in '92.
As long as the GOPee keeps dog-whistling in their direction, they'll have blood on their hands on this (as if they cared).
appalachiablue
(41,131 posts)Looks like he's had a rough time with meth demons, and more. Seeking a career in 'black metal' music is so stressful.
sandensea
(21,627 posts)Always sad to see young people throw it all away on rage and negativity.
keithbvadu2
(36,788 posts)Is he the one whose father is a sheriff?
IronLionZion
(45,433 posts)Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)Aristus
(66,328 posts)Give him seventy-five years to think over his music promotion methods.
Oh, and keep the eighteen months time-served deduction. We dont want to seem heartless...
BobTheSubgenius
(11,563 posts)His profile has been raised considerably! Talk about the street cred a nice, long stretch in prison gives him...