Inmate gets his wish: Witch name

Let's just hope this guy doesn't give witches a bad name.

Just in time for Halloween, former Fremont resident Billy Joe McDonald has received a judge's permission to change his “Christian” name to his “witch” name: Hayden Autumn Blackthorne.

In requesting the change for religious reasons, McDonald — er, Blackthorne — wrote that he is “a lifetime member of Witch School,” a “recognized Wiccan Priest” and a person who has “successfully completed Correllian Wicca — First Degree.”

And, oh yeah, McDonald also noted that he is a sex offender who has been successfully convicted of sexual assault — first degree.

McDonald, 29, is serving seven to 14 years in a Nebraska prison for his 2004 conviction in the sexual assault of a teenage girl.

Douglas County District Judge Gerald Moran granted McDonald's name-change request this week, writing that “there is proper and reasonable cause for changing the name.”

It is not unusual for inmates to request, or receive, name changes based on religious beliefs.

Under state law, people are entitled to change their names if they give “proper and reasonable cause.” Judges can reject a name change request if they believe it is insincere and is made simply to avoid creditors or the stigma surrounding a crime.

In cases in which religious reasons are cited, the Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that judges must weigh “whether the belief is both sincerely held and rooted in religious belief.”

“It's really easy to get a name change,” attorney Clarence Mock said. “They're granted all the time.”

As part of his filing, McDonald attached certificates showing his lifetime membership in Witch School and his status as a priest in the Omaha Correctional Center's “Seekers Coven.” The latter certificate was signed by high priest Lucky Sorcerer and priest Owlin SilverMoon.

In a two-page affidavit, McDonald wrote that he “seeks relief from the painful restraints” of his “present name,” which is a source of “extreme emotional difficulty and distress.” He compared his request to that of a prominent name changer.

“In many spiritual traditions, it is quite common for an initiate or accomplished practitioner to take on a new name,” he wrote. “The most well-known instance of this practice is found in Roman Catholicism, when a Cardinal changes his name upon being elected pope.”

Authorities say this name change won't be a cloak over McDonald's past. Upon his release, the 29-year-old must register as a sex offender under any aliases, including his birth name and his witch name. McDonald's next parole board hearing is in January, and he is projected to be released in July 2011.

“I do not intend to deceive the public,” McDonald wrote, “and this change of legal name will not adversely affect public safety in any way whatsoever.”

Contact the writer:

444-1275, todd.cooper@owh.com