Lawyer: Free speech shields woman charged in mosque burglary

in #religion6 years ago

Mosque_Hate_Video_81116-780x520.jpg

An attorney for one of two Arizona woman charged with burglarizing a mosque as they spewed derogatory comments about Muslims said Thursday that his client’s case isn’t about hate speech but rather about her exercise of free speech rights.

Tahnee Gonzales, 32, and Elizabeth Dauenhauer, 51, filmed themselves on March 4 as they removed fliers and Qurans from shelves, bins and bulletin boards in a fenced-in courtyard behind the Islamic Community Center in Tempe, a Phoenix suburb. The two are known for making anti-Muslim statements at political events in the Phoenix area.

In the video, the two women referred to Muslims as devil worshippers, likened them to animals, made sexually derogatory comments about them and claimed Muslims were taking advantage of Americans by using public benefits. One of the women shouted insults at a man outside the mosque who described himself as a practicing Muslim.

The video, posted on Gonzales’ social media account, shows the two women and their children walking past a no-trespassing sign posted on a gate leading into the mosque’s courtyard.

Gonzales and Dauenhauer pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of burglary and aggravated criminal damage. If convicted of those charges, they would face maximum sentences of four years in prison.

Marc Victor, an attorney representing Gonzales, said outside court that his client’s intent in going to the mosque was to make political statements.

Victor said the mosque is open to the public, and that its Islamic center intended for people to take the material that Gonzales and Dauenhauer walked away with. Victor said his client’s speech was protected by the First Amendment.

“This has never been a burglary case,” Victor said. “The only reason this case is charged as burglary case is because of the content of the speech.”

Amanda Jacinto, a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting Gonzales and Dauenhauer, declined to comment on Victor’s remarks.

Mark Mendoza, an attorney representing Dauenhauer, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

Sort:  

WARNING! The comment below by @mubarr leads to a known phishing site that could steal your account.
Do not open links from users you do not trust. Do not provide your private keys to any third party websites.


Exclusive 30 days free upvotes to your every new post. No need to send any kinds of steem or sbd its full free service. we have paid service too so please check them too. Active the free upvote service and learn more about it here : https://t.co/x00cCqsVa1

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.35
TRX 0.12
JST 0.039
BTC 69796.92
ETH 3521.66
USDT 1.00
SBD 4.70