WEST SACRAMENTO -- The self-admitted perpetrator of Sacramento's only alleged hate crime in the wake of last Tuesday's attack asked for forgiveness Tuesday.

John Lucas said that he committed the offenses as acts of senseless, misguided patriotism.

"I got a first-hand look inside of the jail," Lucas said.

Lucas admitted to locking up the gates of the West Sacramento Sikh Temple last Thursday, and blocking the entrances with a tractor and a truck.

Investigators said that Lucas, in an act of defiance, also jumped into a pond of holy water at the temple -- water transported all the way from India.

Lucas said that he did the acts out of "senseless patriotism" because the Sikhs would not lower their religious flag.

"I didn't understand it was a religious flag. I thought it was a village flag. I didn't understand why it couldn't be lowered for those who died," Lucas said.

Since then, Lucas spent five days in jail and was charged with four crimes, including a hate crime.

The acts spurred Lucas to write a letter to the Sikhs from jail.

"It was a letter that comes from the heart to apologize to the people for the trouble I caused here last Thursday," Lucas said.

But Sikh Temple chairman Pargan Singh Bola is less than impressed, especially since he interprets the letter as a plea for leniency from the Yolo County district attorney.

"Seems to me (he) writes (the) letter because (he) doesn't want to be charged for (a) hate crime," Bola said.

"I have a little concern I'll be hung out to dry, be made an example of. But if that's what has to happen, I'm OK with that. That's another issue. This is all about urging people not to lash out at people because of their race or customs," Lucas said.