NJ blogger convicted of threatening Ill. judges

NEW YORK (AP) -- A right-wing New Jersey blogger was convicted at his third trial Friday of making threats against three federal judges in Illinois in retaliation for a ruling supporting gun control.

A Brooklyn jury deliberated less than two hours before finding Hal Turner guilty of making death threats......

FILE- In this Dec. 4, 2009 File photo, blogger Hal Turner, arrives at court in the Brooklyn borough of New York to face criminal charges for making threats against three federal judges in Illinois in retaliation for a ruling supporting gun control. It took a jury less than two hours Friday, Aug. 13, 2010, before finding Turner guilty of making those threats. This was Turner's third trial. The first two ended in hung juries.

It’s getting dangerous out there ...

...

“Turner’s mother, Kathy Diamond, said the verdict showed the jury didn’t understand that “the First Amendment was the issue.” She said her son, who is married and has a teenage son, “is a good man.”

“The family is devastated,” she added.

The case stemmed from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in 2009 by three judges - William Bauer, Frank Easterbrook and Richard Posner - that upheld a district court decision dismissing lawsuits that challenged handgun bans in Chicago and Oak Park, Ill.

The same day, Turner protested the decision with an inflammatory post online. In one passage, he quoted Thomas Jefferson as saying, “The tree of liberty must be replenished from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots,” court papers said.

Authorities said he crossed the line by writing: “Let me be the first to say this plainly: These judges must die. Their blood will replenish the tree of liberty.”

At trial, Bauer testified that one of his clerks alerted him to the posting. He recalled being concerned over some of the supportive comments from readers.

“A great number of people thought it was a great idea,” he said. “I didn’t.”

From the article:

Testifying in his own defense, Turner said he was a paid FBI informant who was trying to "flush out" dangerous neo-Nazi and white supremacist members of his audience on behalf of the government. He claimed his handler encouraged commentary on the 2005 slaying of the mother and husband of another federal judge in Chicago.

Never liked this guy, going back to his days as "Hal from North Bergen" as a radio caller. He had another radio show that he was thrown off because he got too big for his britches (or even "bridges", the GWB is right there). That show also had Frank from Queens and John from Staten Island as commentators, along with the show's host. Turner turned around and tried to steal the name of the show for his own (the real owner gave it to Frank and John).

And I remember Turner's political run. He tried campaigning right here on Free Republic. Jerk.

And I remember Turner's political run. He tried campaigning right here on Free Republic. Jerk.

I remember Turner's official webpage had long been on the Free Republic "no thanks" list (alongside Stormfront, VDare, VNN, AmRen, NatAll, and may others) as sites not to be used as sources for threads.

Did he have an account here? Can't imagine Jim would've let him stick around very long.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.