A Florida man has pleaded guilty to threatening to kill a Supreme Court justice, according to the Justice Department.
Neal Sidhwaney, 43, of Fernandina Beach, entered a guilty plea on Friday in federal court in Jacksonville, Florida. Court records show that Sidhwaney pleaded guilty to a single felony count of making an interstate threat to injure, as per Politico.
Florida Man Guilty of Threatening Supreme Court Justice
Illustration picture shows handcuffs during the jury composition of the assizes trial of Styven Cumero, before the Assize Court of Namur province, Wednesday 17 March 2021, in Namur. Cumero is accused of the murder of Jeanette Katzenberg in Soye, in July 2015.
According to a news release from the Justice Department, the guilty plea is a result of a call made by Sidhwaney to a Supreme Court justice in July. In court documents, it has been revealed that the targeted justice remains unidentified.
However, Sidhwaney has been accused of explicitly stating his own name in a voicemail filled with profanity. Furthermore, he is alleged to have made repeated threats to kill the justice in question. In the voicemail, Sidhwaney issued a warning, stating that even if the justice involved the deputy US Marshals, he would still carry out his intention to harm and potentially kill them.
Sidhwaney faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for transmitting an interstate threat. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Court documents have revealed that the reason behind Sidhwaney's threat remains unclear. In a recent development, US Magistrate Judge Monte C. Richardson has made the decision to order a competency hearing for Sidhwaney, several weeks after his arrest in August. Based on a forensic psychological evaluation, Sidhwaney has reportedly denied experiencing any psychotic symptoms.
However, it was observed during the examination that Sidhwaney exhibited delusional thought processes. It has been determined that he does, in fact, meet the minimum standards necessary to proceed with a trial, according to NBC News.
Biden Ensures Safety for Justices' Families
President Joe Biden took action last year by signing legislation into law. The legislation's primary objective was to ensure the safety and security of the family members of Supreme Court justices. This decision came in response to mounting concerns over their well-being, particularly in the wake of the reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision.
In the wake of the arrest of a California man accused of plotting to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and subsequently take his own life in the Washington, DC-area, this legislation has been introduced. Nicholas John Roske, the individual in question, has entered a plea of not guilty in the case involving an alleged attempt to assassinate a Supreme Court justice.
Sidhwaney, a resident of Fernandina Beach, Florida, made an expletive-laden and threatening voicemail to the Supreme Court on July 31, according to the Justice Department. He was subsequently arrested in August. The court documents, available online, indicate that the threat was directed at Chief Justice John Roberts.
The US Supreme Court Police Protective Intelligence Unit, in collaboration with the Capitol Police Threat Assessment Section, investigated the case, stated the Justice Department. Sidhwaney now faces a potential sentence of up to five years in federal prison, although a specific sentencing date has not yet been determined, WPTV reported.
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