Threats up against federal judges, lawyers

[AlCzervik]

Source: USA Today

By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Threats against federal judges and prosecutors are on pace to rise for the fifth consecutive year, according to statistics from the U.S. Marshals Service.
In response, federal officials are expanding their surveillance efforts to include suspects who have threatened state and local authorities and who represent a possible danger to federal court officials.

The U.S. Marshals Service, the agency assigned to protect 2,000 federal judges and more than 5,000 prosecutors across the USA, tracked a 69% increase in "inappropriate communications" with federal officials from fiscal years 2003 to 2007. Those can include outright threats or a pattern of suspicious mailings. The numbers rose each year even though investigators in 2007 began counting multiple threats from the same suspect as one case.

This year is on pace to exceed 2007, logging 503 threats through Feb. 9.

Authorities say they increasingly are seeing suspects begin by lashing out in public venues such as city council chambers and then escalating their activities to target federal judges and prosecutors.

Read more: http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Threats+up+against+federal+judges%2C+lawyers+-+USATODAY.com&expire=&urlID=26985114&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fnews%2Fnation%2F2008-03-05-threats_N.htm%3Fcsp%3D1&partnerI

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[LiberalFighter]

1. Total bull.. they just trying to increase their funding

[skooooo]

4. it's not bull

It's a sign that we've become more like a banana republic than a strong democracy. Judges are regularly killed in South America. Nice to know you think this is a non-problem.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Why do republicans hate judges?

[Ordr]

3. "Why do republicans hate judges?"

All of them hate judges?

[Xipe Totec]

8. Yes

You seem surprised.

Why?

[fasttense]

5. Injustice seems to bring out the worst in people.

More and more we are turning in to a banana republic.

[pattmarty]

6. Notice what was said "fifth consecutive year", does that tell you something?

[AlCzervik]

7. yup, the righties railing aginst judges for the past 7 years.