NJ man threatens to kill judge hearing his lawsuit, federal officials say
A New Jersey man has been charged with threatening to murder a federal civil case judge by putting a bullet in her head.
Jonathan D. Williams, 46, of Newark, made the first of three calls to the judge's chambers on Monday asking for an immediate jury hearing in order “to get my settlement," according to acting U.S. Attorney Rachel A. Honig.
The second call became more threatening, according to the criminal complaint, when he told a law clerk "before the snow starts falling on my head, I’m gonna put a bullet in the Judge’s brain ... he’s a scumbag."
Williams made a third call answered by an employee who works in the judge's chambers that was overheard by members of the U.S. Marshals Service making sexual and racist comments to an employee, officials said.
He reportedly told the worker, “You’ll see! You’ll lose your job when I kill your boss.”
The next day when Williams arrived at a law office, security guards refused him entrance. He put a mask on and identified himself and told them twice he was going to “blow the judge’s brains out" before leaving.
The complaint does not disclose details about Williams' case or identify the judge.
The charge of making threats to assault and murder a federal judge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ