Man guilty of Mass. Obama church fire surrenders

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Man guilty of Mass. Obama church fire surrenders
Fri Apr 15, 3:25 pm ET

http://a.abcnews.com.nyud.net:8090/images/US/ap_michael_jacques_jrs_110414_mn.jpg

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A 26-year-old man convicted of burning down a predominantly black Massachusetts church shortly after President Barack Obama's election insisted on his innocence Friday before surrendering to U.S. marshals to be detained until sentencing.

A federal court jury found Michael Jacques guilty Thursday in connection with the burning of the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield, a crime that prosecutors called an angry act of racism.

After the verdicts, a judge revoked Jacques' bond and ordered him to surrender by noon Friday at U.S. District Court in Springfield. He plans to appeal the convictions.

"I am sorry that that did happen," Jacques told reporters in front of the courthouse Friday, referring to the fire. "I obviously didn't do it. My heart does go out to those people. But I am innocent, and I will appeal, and justice will prevail."



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/cell-photo-photo-Michael-Jacques-leaves-federal-court-Springfield-Mass/photo//110414/480/urn_publicid_ap_org8a722ea0ed7b4f98a041d91cf9733881//s:/ap/20110415/ap_on_re_us/us_church_fire_obama

[No Elephants]

1. I never expected him to be so unremarkable looking.

[Judi Lynn]

2. I've seen remarkable transformations by criminals by the time they go to court,

getting their hair cut, wearing suits, etc., sometimes letting blond hair go back to its original color, skin heads grow out, wearing glasses, etc.

He may have been only a shadow of his former self by the time the photo was taken.

[Ian David]

4. Here's what he looked like at the time of his arrest...

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/state_trooper_tells_jury_in_michael_jacques_arson_trial_macedonia_church_fire.html

[Botany]

5. The stupid just oozes out of him

[Demeter]

3. He looks like a dork

I've met too many to be mistaken.