A Tennessee court Monday sentenced self-acclaimed anti-Semitic and anti-Christian Satanists Justin Baker to four years in prison for defacing a Torah scroll and prayer books in Memphis last January.
Baker pleaded guilty on December 9 to damaging and defiling holy Jewish items of the Margolin Hebrew Academy. Judge Roy Morgan Jr, sentenced Baker to the maximum amount of time in jail for each charge, but all of the sentences will be served concurrently, the Jackson, Tennessee Sun reported.
“I think that’s just so very obvious from what’s been presented today as to why these individuals were victimized in this case,” Morgan said in court. “It’s quite clear that for thousands of years people have been attacked around the world and persecuted for their religious beliefs, whatever that belief is, and the nature of the crime here is clearly a direct, intentional attack on what’s guaranteed as a freedom in this country, freedom of religion.”
Baker vandalized the Torch scroll and marked on it phrases, such “Gentiles Win” and “Hail Satan.”
His Facebook and MySpace pages were full of hate statements and Baker’s interest in Satanism and violence.
“Currently in Iraq. Like metal and Muy Thai. I’m a father to a little boy, a husband to a sexy wife. I like working out and eating everything. Dedicated spiritual Satanist. Anti-Jew, Christian, and drama. If you fit the above, don’t send me a request,” he wrote. A screenshot of the pages was read by the prosecution in the courtroom.
One posting read, “Satanic priest, one with a darkness and loving it I also have a little thing with blood lust. And I live for music and Satan. I like to make bombs and blow up (expletive) that doesn’t belong to me. I also practice ninjutsu and beat the hell out of (expletive) that also don’t belong to me. And singing in my strange (expletive) band. I know I can’t spell for (expletive).”
Baker’s wife Jordan, who also said she is a Satanist, testified, “He’s a really good father and husband. He done a very (good) job taking care of us, and his boys are his entire world and he would do anything for those kids.”
Baker’s defense lawyers claimed he suffered mental problems, anxiety and loss of memory, but Judge Morgan didn’t buy it and said Baker should be held fully responsible for his crimes.
The court also ordered him to up to $89.999 in restitution costs.
Baker still faces sentencing in March for charges of damaging religious property.
