Statue-Whacker on 'Mission from God' Will Be Tried
OAKLAND -- The man who used an ax to whack at a statue of Jesus in the Oakland Mormon Temple Visitors Center rejected a plea bargain in Alameda County Superior Court yesterday.
Larry B. Sargeant, 74, is charged with vandalizing religious property and has a history of attacking Mormon statuary. He rejected a plea offer that would have let him off with probation and free him from jail.
Sargeant insisted on going to trial and pleaded not guilty to the felony charge because he believes he was on a mission from God, his attorney said. Hes willing to risk three years in state prison because he thought he was doing Gods work.
On the evening of December 9th of last year, Sargeant entered the Temple Visitors Center and hit the statue with an ax until he broke off two fingers and a thumb. Onlookers wrestled him to the ground before he could do further damage to the sculpture.
Sargeant insisted on going to trial and pleaded not guilty to the felony charge because he believes he was on a mission from God, his attorney said. Hes willing to risk three years in state prison because he thought he was doing Gods work.
On the evening of December 9th of last year, Sargeant entered the Temple Visitors Center and hit the statue with an ax until he broke off two fingers and a thumb. Onlookers wrestled him to the ground before he could do further damage to the sculpture.
At the foot of the statue he left a note which quoted a bible verse--Exodus 20:4, which prohibits Christians from making graven images--and ended with Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, a police report said.
Sargeants lawyer, public defender Sam Yun, told Judge Allan D. Hymer that his client believes he is a prophet sent by God to save the Church of Latter Day Saints from perverting Gods teachings. (By REVELATION?) By Sargeants logic, God deeded the Mormon Church to him and therefore the Oakland Temple and its statues are his property, Yun said.
Sargeant looks like a prophet from the Old Testament or the Book of Mormon. He has a head of wavy white hair, a Santa Claus beard, and imperious bushy eyebrows.
In a previous hearing, court-appointed psychiatrists found Sargeant mentally unfit to stand trial. Sargeant and the District Attorneys office appealed that finding and a second judge found him competent to face the charges before a jury.
If you dont touch on this subject, hes very intelligent and gentle, Yun said. He has no violent tendencies. Its just sad to see how the system treats people with mental illness.
Sargeant looks like a prophet from the Old Testament or the Book of Mormon. He has a head of wavy white hair, a Santa Claus beard, and imperious bushy eyebrows.
In a previous hearing, court-appointed psychiatrists found Sargeant mentally unfit to stand trial. Sargeant and the District Attorneys office appealed that finding and a second judge found him competent to face the charges before a jury.
If you dont touch on this subject, hes very intelligent and gentle, Yun said. He has no violent tendencies. Its just sad to see how the system treats people with mental illness.
Vandalizing religious property carries a penalty of up to three years in state prison.
Jay Pimentel, a spokesman for the Oakland Mormon Temple, said the temple leadership is not trying to make a big deal about the incident, but they are concerned about public safety. ( The public should be concerned about another wayward mormon?)
He was wielding a long-handled ax and there were lots of people around as he was swinging the thing, said Pimentel. He was not
showing proper regard for peoples safety or for a statue of Christ who we worship.
(what regard should one show to a statue?)
We think its serious case, said Kevin Wong, deputy District Attorney. The visitors center is a place of prayer, worship, and education.
We think its serious case, said Kevin Wong, deputy District Attorney. The visitors center is a place of prayer, worship, and education.
The damaged statue of Jesus serves as the centerpiece of the Visitors Center display and is visible from the parking lot. The eight-foot figure is a replica of a famous sculpture located in the main LDS Visitors Center in Salt Lake City. The temple spent $1200 to repair the damage to Jesus hand.
( Is this some CRAZED SP? No it was a Mormon! And a "PROPHET" at that! )
Sargeant is from the small eastern Washington town of Colville and grew up Mormon. Twenty years ago, he served three years in state prison for defacing a Mormon temple in Los Angeles County. In 2001, he was arrested in Salt Lake City for attacking a statue in Temple Square, but the Church of Latter Day Saints did not press charges.
Sargeant is from the small eastern Washington town of Colville and grew up Mormon. Twenty years ago, he served three years in state prison for defacing a Mormon temple in Los Angeles County. In 2001, he was arrested in Salt Lake City for attacking a statue in Temple Square, but the Church of Latter Day Saints did not press charges.
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