Judges get threats all the time. This is nothing new.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

May I put in my two cents about threats to public officials?

I worked as a court reporter from 1977 to 1994. I was one of those people who sits in front of the witness stand and pounds on a Stenograph machine and then types it up. I worked in every court from traffic court, to JP, to county, to state district court, to Federal court.

I was in a judge's chamber one day, criminal district court (felonies) and a couple of his fellow judges were there. And a deputy or two. They were talking about their guns and carrying them in their waistbands under their robes. Sometimes they will keep a gun in the drawer in their desk in the bench, as well. Civil judges get threatened too (as in the anti-abortion civil case by Planned Parenthood I have mentioned). The judge in that case, Eileen O'Neill, lost her seat in the next election due to the award of damages by a jury to the plaintiffs, Planned Parenthood, of $205,000.00. She was replaced by a right wing white male.

I have never worked for a politician but I assume they get just as many threats as judges do. Even though the Federal judge killed today was not targeted, he had to have U.S. Marshal protection when he was presiding over a suit by illegal immigrants against their employer.

I don't know how many Federal judges have been killed but I do remember when Judge John Wood was killed in San Antonio. I was living there and going to college at the time. He was plugged coming out of his Alamo Heights condo by Woody Harrelson's father.

I don't think the public (at least the non-violent ones) is aware of the constant threats to judges in many different courts. Even divorce courts and civil courts.

The threats are not new but the level of violence IS new.

[spanone]

1. the innocent who were there were not judges. nor was the congresswoman.

[Chimichurri]

2. Oh okay. No big deal then.

:eyes:

[Imagevision]

9. Thanks to Palin #4 took place this morning...

[WinkyDink]

3. # of Federal judges killed BEFORE today = 3 in the 20th C.

One assassin was Woody Harrelson's father, also a suspect (to some) in the JFK assassination.

John Howland Wood, Jr. (March 31, 1916–May 29, 1979) was an American lawyer and judge from the U.S. state of Texas.

He served on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas before being assassinated by Charles Harrelson outside Wood's home in San Antonio, Texas, in 1979. Wood's killing was the first assassination of a federal judge in the 20th century. (Two other federal judges were assassinated in the 1980s, Richard J. Daronco in 1988 and Robert Smith Vance in 1989.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_H._Wood,_Jr.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

4. Thanks for looking that up.

Yep, Charles Harrelson.

[Kingofalldems]

5. I think the judge just happened to be there today

He was coming home from Mass.

[DainBramaged]

6. UH the Judge died trying to shake her hand, are you just in from the 6th dimension?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

7. kick

[JDPriestly]

8. Yes. And judges are usually very honest, dedicated people.

They have a tough job and deserve a lot of public support.