South Carolina Man Beheads Jesus Statue, Justifies Vandalism with First Commandment

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Jun 20, 2014

South Carolina Man Beheads Jesus Statue, Justifies Vandalism with First Commandment

A South Carolina man took a sledgehammer to a concrete statue of Jesus at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church early Sunday morning; he claims he only did it to honor the First Commandment. 

Charles Jeffrey Short was seen around 5:45 at the Charleston church. Witnesses informed police of the incident, who confronted Short. 

“I think I used a sledgehammer to strike the status about six or seven time, because the second or first commandment states to not make an image of a male or female to be on display to the public,” Short told authorities. 

The vandal is referring to Exodus 20:4 which reads, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” 

The Sacred Heart Catholic Church had reported another act of vandalism two days prior when a marble statue worth about $5,000 had been damaged. Authorities are now investigating a connection between the crimes. 

Publication date: June 20, 2014



South Carolina Man Beheads Jesus Statue, Justifies Vandalism with First Commandment