New Commandments ready for state Capitol

Monument replaces one struck by car

The second version of a Ten Commandments monument at the Arkansas Capitol is expected to go up next week, nearly 10 months after the first was destroyed.

Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Bigelow, announced the plans on an online fundraising page Wednesday night. Chris Powell, a spokesman for Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin, confirmed the installation is scheduled for Thursday.

"We are happy to have made this all possible for the citizens of Arkansas as they honor one of the historical and moral foundations of American law -- the Ten Commandments," Rapert wrote.

The original version of the monument was rammed with a car less than 24 hours after it debuted in June. The accused driver, Michael Tate Reed II of Van Buren, was declared unfit to stand trial in November and committed to the State Hospital.

Photos by Emma Pettit
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Less than two weeks after the first monument was smashed, the American History and Heritage Foundation, which Rapert created, had raised roughly $55,000 in donations toward a new one. Funds had surpassed $85,000 by Thursday afternoon.

The new monument will be flanked by four concrete bollards to protect it.

Metro on 04/20/2018

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