20 Tanner church members attend hearing for man who vandalized cemetery 3 times

?ATHENS, Alabama - About 20 members of Little Ezekiel Primitive Baptist Church in Tanner were in Limestone County District Court today in hopes of learning why a Falkville man destroyed their cemetery on three occasions in November.

The hearing for Robert Allen Muse, 22, was set to appoint his attorney and church members received little information other than the knowledge that the man accused of vandalizing Hatchett Cemetery remained behind bars.?

Muse is currently in Limestone County Jail on $150,000 bond but his attorney, Garry Clem of Athens, filed notice he will seek a bond reduction at a hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Muse is charged with three counts of first-degree criminal mischief.

James Lucas, a church deacon and cemetery board member, said congregants want to know why.

"They had so much concern about what reason it was being destroyed. They were inquisitive about why," said Lucas, who attended the hearing. "Nobody knew of any reason he would do this or what his connection was over here."

Muse's motive in a case that became national news remains a mystery. He was arrested Nov. 26 after his image was caught on a surveillance camera the third time he desecrated as many as 70 graves at Hatchett Cemetery on Goode Road in Tanner. The headstones were destroyed on Nov. 8, and again on Nov. 15 before Limestone County Sheriff's deputies installed cameras at the rural cemetery and captured Muse's image during his third night of mischief Nov. 23.

Lucas said the stones have mostly been repaired and some new ones erected.

"There may be some that are still chipped or cracked but the ones that needed replacing, I think all of them have been replaced," he said.

Eight replacement stones were erected last week, Lucas said. They were purchased by the church using funds donated by individuals or other churches. Initial stories on the vandalism drew outrage and many offers of aid.

Lucas said church members will attend future hearings. "We intend to follow the case," he said.?

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Source: http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/12/20_tanner_church_members_atten.html

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