Vermont man indicted for threatening to kill President Obama in blog post

2010-10-14 04:31:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

ROCKINGHAM, VERMONT (BNO NEWS) -- A 43-year-old Vermont man has been indicted for allegedly threatening to kill President Barack Obama in a blog post, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Christopher King, of Rockingham, was indicted last week by a Federal grand jury on charges that he threatened to kill President Barack Obama on the internet.

According to prosecutors, King maintained both an internet blog as well as a Twitter account. On his blog, King allegedly posted a threatening message in which he said he would kill the President.

"I am dying inside. And I am plainly stating to you that I am going to kill the president," King allegedly wrote in one message. In another message, King allegedly wrote: "So since I intend to kill the president, should I set the timer? Huh?"

King faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000 if he is convicted of threatening to kill Obama.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-10-14

What ever happened to freedom of speech.

Some background: Threats to Obama

"Threatening the President of the United States is a class D felony under United States Code Title 18, Section 871.[37][38] The offense is punishable by five years in prison,[37] a $250,000 fine,[39] a $100 special assessment,[40] and 3 years of supervised release.[41] Internet restrictions such as a prohibition on access to email have been imposed on offenders who made their threats by computer." wiki

Appears the law is a British import.

"The prototype for Section 871 was the British Treason Act 1351, which made it a crime to "compass or imagine" the death of the King. "