State senator's sons arrested in flag-damage incident

[Soldier4Christ]

State senator's sons arrested in flag-damage incident
Idaho pair cited for vandalizing site dedicated to soldiers killed in Iraq

Police arrested 24-year old Michael Burkett of Boise early Sunday morning after officers with Capitol Mall Security reported spotting him vandalizing two flag poles on the grounds of the Idaho Statehouse.

The flags are memorials to soldiers who lost their lives in the war on terror.

"It's certainly upsetting, not just to officers but for any citizen of this county who knows somebody who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan," Lt. Ron Winegar said of the ongoing investigation.

Burkett was charged with resisting arrest and Malicious Injury to Property.  He and his 22-year-old brother, Tom Burkett, also charged with the vandalism, are the sons of state Sen. Michael Burkett (D) of Idaho's 19th district.

Michael Burkett told Fox 12 News he had no comment on the matter except to say his sons were involved in a run-in with police last night. He also denied the fact that run-in had anything to do with vandalizing flags.

"For someone to desecrate a flag, I mean that's not only is it dishonorable, it's downright ignorant," said Tom Titus, whose son Brandon was killed in Iraq two years ago. 

The flagpole with Brandon's name on it was bent so badly that police say the flag was laying on the ground.

"It hurts knowing that a flag was taken down with my son's name on it. And I hurt for the other families whose flags were desecrated," Titus said.

The decorated Vietnam vet says he's no stranger to this kind of vandalism. In fact Titus says someone ripped up a flag from a pole in his front yard.  The flag was hand delivered to him by U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo's office the same week his son died.

"They were the only (elected officials) that visited me after Brandon died," Titus said.  "You can't put a price on that flag."

Since that incident, Titus has taken steps to protect his keepsakes from vandals.  That includes installing motion detector lights in his front yard and treating a stone, engraved with Brandon's name, with an anti-graffiti film.

And even though his son's flag at the State House has been bent back to normal, Titus thinks the Burkett's and their father should make a personal apology to the families affected by their alleged vandalism.

"If they want to go out and have some fun, if they think it's fun, then maybe they ought to have fun when they meet somebody like me," Titus said.

Damage to each flag is estimated at approximately $200.

The other flag that was pulled out of the ground has also been replaced.  It had Army Spec. Carrie French's name on it.