Judge dismisses flag desecration charge

A District Court judge on Aug. 15 dropped a misdemeanor charge of flag desecration, filed against a Somers man Aug. 11.
Judge Andrew Smith granted Calhoun County Attorney Tina Meth Farrington’s motion to dismiss, which was also filed Aug. 15.
On Aug. 16, Farrington told The Graphic-Advocate she filed the motion after reviewing a state Supreme Court case in which Iowa’s highest court ruled the state’s flag desecration law was unconstitutional.
“After I read the case, it was obvious” that the charge shouldn’t proceed, Farrington said.
State legislators have failed to take any action to remove the law from Iowa Code; the court issued the ruling in December 2014. The state Legislature has held two full legislative sessions since the ruling. 
Read more in the Aug. 24 edition.