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Threatening YouTube Video Lands Man In Prison

Posted by timothy on from the will-be-dead-is-technically-true dept.

wiredmikey writes "Norman LeBoon of Philadelphia was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his production and transmission of a YouTube video over the Internet last March containing a threat to injure and kill a United States Congressman. Following his arrest, LeBoon told federal agents that Eric Cantor is 'pure evil'; 'will be dead'; and that 'Cantor's family is suffering because of his father's wrath.'"

6 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. Breaking news... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Threatening people is against the law. Film at eleven.

    1. Re:Breaking news... by fishbowl · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well, this is generally only true if the threat is against a government official and if a reasonable person believes that the target has a reasonable apprehension of the threat being carried out. There are state and local laws covering stuff like "terroristic threats" and all kinds of civil statutes, but in order to rise to the level of a federal criminal rap, the threat has to be credible, specific, and targeted at a government official. This is why Pat Robertson got away with making a hit request against Hugo Chavez, for instance.

      --
      -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
    2. Re:Breaking news... by LordLimecat · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, noone has ever been tried for harrassing a normal person over the internet, much less threatening them.

    3. Re:Breaking news... by Lord+Kano · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What exactly is the cop gaining or losing by not taking care of the poor verses the rich?

      I really cannot fathom a thing that would make your statement remotely true. Perhaps if you said more serious threats get more attention or something else. I don't know, please explain.

      OK. Lemme 'splain this to you.

      In large metropolitan areas, police chiefs are elected. To be elected they need money. To get money(legally), they need to be connected. Money and influence are gained by staying in the good graces of people with disposable income to donate.

      LK

      --
      "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
  2. A Fine Expression by macraig · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This guy might have benefitted from a quip emblazoned on a plaque my grandpappy had on his wall:

    It's often a fine expression of the language to simply say nothing.

    Perhaps I'll send Norman the plaque to decorate his jail cell.

  3. Re:meanwhile.... by Americano · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Actually he makes a very good point. 18 Wisconsin congressmen reported death threats after the collective bargaining bill was passed there recently. Yet, you actually do have to go looking to find anything about it on most nationwide news sites. That link above is from a daily newspaper in a small town in central Wisconsin. I'm surprised I wasn't able to at easily find a wire service story about the death threats, given the hysterical nature of the rest of the coverage of the issue.

    considering that CNN did report that death threats have led to at least one set of charges, it's hard to imagine that Fox News was just making shit up about the threats, as you're trying to suggest.