Assault in the name of Jesus: A woman in Idaho is under arrest after attacking a Jewish acquaintance, stomping on the woman’s neck as part of a zealous bid to convert her to Christianity.

Facing felony charges, Margurite Dawn Haragan, 58, is charged with two counts of malicious harassment in an attack police have labeled a hate crime.

According to prosecutors, the incident started when Haragan showed up at the victim’s home Feb. 5.

Ada County Prosecutor Dave Rothcheck said:

The defendant (Haragan) was banging on the front window yelling at her that she better believe in Jesus and she was not going to leave until she did believe in Jesus.

He said the victim, identified in court only as “A.G.,” opened her door to tell Haragan to leave and to write down her license plate number.

At that point the suspect slapped the victim in the face and dragged her to the ground by her hair.

Roscheck said:

The defendant began kicking the victim in the stomach and thigh area. During this time the defendant was screaming at the victim that she better accept Jesus or she would not let up.

Prosecutors report Haragan stepped onto the victim’s neck as she lay on the ground, pressing down with her foot and pulling up on the woman’s head and hair. Eventually, the woman said she would become a Christian in an attempt to placate her attacker, Roscheck said, and Haragan let her go.

Haragan was arrested Wednesday night on a felony warrant. In court Thursday, she told a judge she did not understand what she was being charged with, she did not want a public defender, and she would not hire her own lawyer.

Judge John Hawley decided to appoint the suspect a public defender anyway.

Haragan faces up to five years in prison for each of the two counts.

(H/T KTVB)