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WEBVTT PROTECTED CLASS FOR HATE CRIME>> THIS IS CLEARLY A HATE CRIME.I DON'T THINK ANYONE WILL ARGUETHAT.OUR SUSPECT SPECIFICALLY POINTEDOUT TRANSGENDER. LAURA: 65-YEAR-OLD MONDELL OLSIS BEHIND BARS AFTER POLICE SAYHE LEFT TWO THREATENING MESSAGESHERE AT NEVADA HIGH SCHOOL, THATHE WANTED TO BRAND AND KILL THETRANSGENDER STUDENT FEATURED INTHIS LOCAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE.>> IF THIS WAS MY CHILD, I WOULDBE ANGRY.LAURA:THE NEVADA HIGH SCHOOLFRESHMAN SHARED HIS STORY ABOUTBEING BORN A GIRL, BUTIDENTIFYING HIMSELF AS A BOY>> OUR SUSPECT READ THE ARTICLE,WAS OFFENDED BY THE ARTICLE.LAUR POLICE SAY OLSON LEFT TWOSEPARATE THREATENING VOICEMAILS,ONE ON FRIDAY AND ONE ONTUESDAY, AND THEY'RE GLAD SCHOOLOFFICIALS REPORTED THEM RIGHTAWAY.>> IT' DISTURBINGTHAT ANYONEWOULD GO THROUGH THAT DARWINFACED THREATS FOR BEING WHO THEYWE SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.LAURA: OLSON IS CHARGED WITHHARASSMENT, BUT POLICE SAYTHEY'RE FRUSTRATED THEY CAN'TCHARGE HIM WITH A HATE CRIME.>> I WOULD LIKE TO THROW MORE ATHIM IN THE BOOK BUT I CAN ONLYDO WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO US.LAURA: THIS IS WHY, ONE IOWA, ALOCAL LGBT ORGANIZATION ISWORKING TO CHANGE IOWA LAW>> THIS IS HORRIFI AND THISISSOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPENEVER.BUT IT WOULD BE NICE FOR THINGS

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Public safety officials said an Ames man has been arrested for leaving threatening messages at a Nevada school. The Nevada Public Safety Department said Mondell Olson, 65, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree harassment after leaving two voicemails at Nevada High School. Authorities said Olson allegedly threatened to kill, brand and cause bodily harm to a student at the school who identifies as transgender. “This is clearly a hate crime,” Nevada police Chief Ricardo Martinez II said. “I don't think anybody is going to argue with that. Our suspect specifically pointed out transgender.” The Nevada high school freshman shared his story about being born a girl but identifying himself as a boy in a local newspaper. “Our suspect, Mondell Olson, read the article (and) was offended by the article,” Martinez said. Authorities said that Nevada police conducted an investigation, and that police recovered a cellphone involved in the threatening messages while executing a search warrant at Olson’s apartment. Police said they are glad school officials reported the calls right away. “It's disturbing that anyone would go through that and face threats for being who they are,” Nevada superintendent Dr. Steve Gray said. “We support all of our students.” While Olson is charged with harassment, Marines said police are frustrated that they are unable to charge him with a hate crime. “It is aggravating,” Martinez said. “I would like to throw more at him than the book, but I can only do what's available to us.” Officials with One Iowa, a local LGBT organization, said they are working to change Iowa law so that transgender individuals will be protected from hate crimes. “This is a horrific event and this is something that shouldn't happen ever, but it would be nice for things to be categorized as a hate crime when they are specifically targeted for their gender identity,” said Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel, of One Iowa. There are two bills in the state legislature, one in the House and one in the Senate, that would add transgender individuals to the list of protected classes in a hate crime. The bills are assigned to a committee but have not come up for a vote. Olson is also charged with harassment for sending an unwanted text message to a school district teacher that was sexual in nature, according to authorities. The Nevada Public Safety Department said findings related to similar reports at Nevada High School have been shared with the Story County Sheriff’s Office, and additional charges may be filed.