Hawzah News Agency (Columbus, Ohio) - worshippers at a Perry Township mosque that was desecrated nine months ago didn’t seek punishment Monday for the man who scrawled anti-Muslim comments on the building.
The leaders of the Ahlul Bayt Islamic Center submitted a written statement of forgiveness to be read aloud at the sentencing hearing for Todd M. Williams, 45, of the Far West Side. He pleaded guilty in September to one count of desecrating a place of worship, a fifth-degree felony, and misdemeanor charges of ethnic intimidation and criminal mischief.
“The essence of God in Islam is based on mercy,” said the congregation’s statement, read by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Gibson. “The Quran repeatedly emphasizes the merciful nature of God.
“Showing mercy to others is what we are expected to do. Therefore, we are not seeking vengeance or punishment against the person who did this to our mosque.”
Williams responded with words of contrition for the congregation members, none of whom attended the hearing.
“I want to thank them for being merciful and for forgiveness,” he said. “I want them to know I’m truly sorry. I’m glad they took a high road.”
Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Chris Brown told Williams “I think they treated you a lot better than you treated them.”
“Yes, I agree,” Williams responded.
The judge wasn’t as forgiving as the congregation. He ordered Williams to spend 10 days in the county jail, beginning Dec. 4, and placed him on probation for five years.
“Jail is appropriate in this case,” Brown said. “All these people wanted to do is worship ... according to their beliefs, and you infringed on that ... You made them scared ... You took something away. You took their security away, their freedom to worship as they see fit.”
Defense attorney Bradley Koffel said Williams, who had no criminal record, is on disability due to “deep mental-health issues that appear to be in check now.”
Brown placed him in the probation department’s intensive, mental-health caseload and ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service. Any violation of probation could result in a 12-month prison sentence, the judge said.
Williams remained contrite after the hearing.
“We’re all human,” he said. “I was just having a bad day. I made a terrible mistake, and I’m truly, truly sorry. I want the Islam community to feel safe. I owe them a hug.”
Reminded that the terms of his probation forbid him from visiting the mosque, he replied, “Maybe five years down the road then.”
End.
