Satanist Escapes Charges After Punching Man in Government Building
June 25th, 2025
In March of 2025, the leader of a Satanic Grotto was arrested after a major incident at the Kansas Statehouse. The leader had planned a Satanic ritual at the government building, prompting a serious response from local Christian groups. The two groups inevitably became aggressive toward each other, and this culminated in a physical altercation between the Satanic leader and a local Christian man. Months later, authorities revealed that the Satanic leader would not face any criminal charges.
Shawnee County Prosecutors Decide to Drop Charges Against Satanist
In June of 2025, The Lion reported that Shawnee County prosecutors in Kansas had decided to drop charges against the Satanist leader at the center of the Capitol violence in March. The prosecutors did not explain why the charges had been dropped, but there are various possibilities to consider.
First, we have to consider the fact that a counter-protester approached the leader while he was in the process of conducting a Satanist ritual. This individual then proceeded to try to swipe something out of the Satanist’s hands, and this could be considered a form of assault.
The prosecutors might have felt that the Satanist was provoked, raising concerns about a potential self-defense argument. The video footage clearly shows the counter-protester attempting to snatch a piece of paper out of the Satanist’s hand.
Who Was the Aggressor?
In Kansas, physical contact is not a necessary element of assault. You can face assault charges even if you do not come into contact with someone, as long as you cause them to feel a reasonable fear of harm. One might argue that the counter-protester’s behavior fits this definition.
Prosecutors might have felt that since both men were technically guilty of crimes, it made sense to drop charges against both individuals and avoid a needless criminal trial. The Satanist might even enjoy the process of a public trial, as it would give him a platform to spread his religious message to the masses.
On the other hand, some argue that the Satanist leader was the clear aggressor in the physical exchange. While the counter-protester approached and tried to rip something out of the Satanist’s hand, the Satanist responded by immediately throwing punches.
Trying to take something away from someone is clearly not as dangerous as punching someone in the head. Video footage seems to indicate that at least one of these punches connected. Critics of this decision may say that the Satanist should have faced consequences for his actions. Remember, this assault took place in the Statehouse building.
Finally, prosecutors might be concerned about issues related to religious discrimination. If they charge the Satanist with crimes related to the incident, they would also have to hold other Christian counter-protesters to the same standard. Other individuals may have committed similar crimes on that turbulent day, and police may have chosen to look the other way. A shrewd defense lawyer would almost certainly argue religious discrimination when representing the Satanist.
The Universal Life Church Respects Diverse Faith Backgrounds
The Universal Life Church (ULC) respects people from all different faith backgrounds. Although the situation in Kansas has critics on both sides, we encourage everyone to strive to do that which is right and respect diverse points of view and freedom of religion. To learn more about the Universal Life Church, do not hesitate to reach out.
