Posted on 06/25/2009 5:05:50 PM PDT by Larry381
CHICAGO—Hal Turner, an intermittent internet radio talk show host and blogger, was arrested today by FBI agents at his home in North Bergen, N.J., on a federal complaint filed in Chicago alleging that he made internet postings threatening to assault and murder three federal appeals court judges in Chicago in retaliation for their recent ruling upholding handgun bans in Chicago and a suburb.
Internet postings on June 2 and 3 proclaimed “outrage” over the June 2, 2009, handgun decision by Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook and Judges Richard Posner and William Bauer, of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, further stating, among other things: “Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed.” The postings included photographs, phone numbers, work address and room numbers of these judges, along with a photo of the building in which they work and a map of its location.
Turner, 47, of North Bergen, N.J., was arrested this morning after FBI agents went to his residence to execute a search warrant. He was charged with threatening to assault and murder three federal judges with intent to retaliate against them for performing official duties in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. He is scheduled to have an initial court appearance at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday) before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Shipp in U.S. District Court in Newark.
“We take threats to federal judges very seriously. Period,” said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, who announced the charges with Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the FBI Office in Newark are providing local assistance.
According to the complaint affidavit, several lawsuits were filed challenging handgun bans in Chicago and suburban Oak Park after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment entitles handguns at home for self-protection. On June 2, 2009, the 7th Circuit issued an opinion in National Rifle Association v. Chicago, Nos. 08-4241, 08-4243 & 08-4244, affirming a district court’s decision to dismiss the cases challenging the local handgun bans. The unanimous decision was written by Chief Judge Easterbrook and joined by Judges Posner and Bauer.
On June 8, 2009, law enforcement agents were directed to postings on a web site. The front page of the site contained an entry dated June 2, 2009, that was titled: “OUTRAGE: Chicago Gun Ban UPHELD; Court says ‘Heller’ ruling by Supreme Court not applicable to states or municipalities!” After describing the decision, a lengthy entry followed, which is contained in the complaint affidavit. In addition to proclaiming “These judges deserve to be killed,” the entry notes that it was the same 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that decided the case of Matt Hale, a white-supremacist who was imprisoned after being convicted of soliciting the murder of a U.S. District Court judge in Chicago. The entry further noted that the same judge’s mother and husband were murdered by a gunman in her home. The posting then stated:
“Apparently, the 7th U.S. Circuit court didn’t get the hint after those killings. It appears another lesson is needed.”
The complaint charges that the posting was updated the next morning on June 3, 2009, with the following content:
“Judges official public work addresses and a map of the area are below. Their home addresses and maps will follow soon. Behold these devils.”
Below this headline, the entry listed the names, photos, phone numbers, work addresses and room numbers of the three judges involved in the handgun decision, as well as a photo of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago and a map. The photo of the building had been modified to include arrows and a label referencing “Anti-truck bomb barriers,” according to the affidavit.
If convicted, threatening to assault or murder a federal judge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The court, however, would determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed under the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Ridgway and William Hogan.
And just what happened to the TV liberal who said they should kill Congressman Henry Hyde? NOTHING!
I don’t see how the charges against him could hold up in court. Saying someone deserves to die isn’t a crime. Even when said about our all powerful judges. Of course that assumes a fair trial. He is going to get reamed in court.
Hmmm.....so when will we hear of the arrests of the radical homosexuals who posted maps to the homes of Porp 8 supporters, you know the ones who defaced the LDS Churches and threatened members? Or the ACORN thugs who ‘toured’ the neighborhoods of AIG employees?
Hmmmm?
Looks like this zealot has got himself in a lot of trouble. Really stupid and actually works against Gun Rights.
“And just what happened to the TV liberal who said they should kill Congressman Henry Hyde? NOTHING!”
__________
I didn’t see this, what are the details (or link)?
That was Alec Baldwin and it was said in jest.
This was intended facetiously too, but the rats are out for blood.
In general federal judges' home addresses are never reported. It's common that upon being appointed a new judge buys a home somewhere else and moves ~ without filing a forwarding order.
They have REAL enemies ~ folks they send to prison for many years, or whose businesses they destroy (e.g. as in a bankruptcy).
The fact Turner had this information available suggests there's an ongoing and organized effort to conduct surveillance on federal judges (at least those in Chicago).
I suspect allowing Fitzgerald to make the public announcement on this was a serious mistake by DOJ. He probably doesn't understand what Turner is really being charged with well enough to enunciate it, and Fur Shur Fitzgerald has a difficult time identifying the correct targets in criminal investigations ~ we shall see, though.
Hal Turner is well know among the politically aware here in Florida. He is a scumbag. There is NO defending him.
“here” in Florida? I thought you were in NY?
An ambiguous hint at worst. I could buy endangering, but not threatening.
This is going to be an interesting case. The lesson here for bloggers that want to avoid government persecution:
Post the inflammatory information in the comment section with a different computer that is working through a proxy server. That way it can never be attributed to you, the author of the blog post.
The threat is ever present, but for the most part a little privacy is about all that's needed to keep most of the crazoids away.
Judges aren't the only folks with this problem ~ top level legal investigators, forensic laboratory specialists, various administrative law judges, and many other regulators with the power to write "final agency decision" put their lives on the line every day.
You say that like it's a bad thing.
Yes, I am in Queens (Astoria/LIC border).
BTW, if you get rid of one judge they'll just put in a new one, usually pretty much like the original one.
I suppose it's theoretically possible to run a society without a judiciary ~ but please do that someplace else, OK?!
Not surprising about any of that.
Are judges better than the rest of us? Why shouldn’t their address and phone numbers be listed?
That's the way things go when you're a judge ~ you have to make the decisions that send some away very dissatisfied.
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