Florida man pleads guilty to threatening to kill a Supreme Court justice

A Florida man has pleaded guilty in connection with threatening to kill a Supreme Court justice.

The guilty plea from 43-year-old Neal Brij Sidhwaney of Fernandina Beach stemmed from a call he made to a Supreme Court justice in July, the Justice Department said in a news release Monday.

He faces up to five years in federal prison on one count of transmitting an interstate threat. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Prosecutors said that Sidhwaney identified himself by name in an expletive-infused voicemail and repeatedly threatened to kill the Supreme Court justice, who is not named in court documents.

Sidhwaney warned that if the justice alerted deputy U.S. Marshals, he would talk to them and “come kill you anyway,” according to court documents, which did not indicate what prompted Sidhwaney to make the threat.

eksb, (edited )
@eksb@programming.dev avatar

How I feel about this very much depends on which justice he threatened to kill.

MindSkipperBro12,

Agreed but unfortunately they haven’t named the justice yet.

MagicShel,

I’m mildly surprised there hasn’t been more reactionary stochastic terrorism from the left. I guess we still have optimism while the right has had it beaten out of them every day by the news and, well, I have to assume they make their own daily lives pretty miserable anyway.

lurch,

The problem is that the left are the good people, lmao. That’s why it takes so long until they start pushing back. Everything has to really go to shit until the left are picking up the pitchforks. It’s a bit tragic ngl

JunkMilesDavis,
JunkMilesDavis avatar

Maybe the secret ingredient is human empathy. Not that crazies are unique to the right by any means, but the organized effort to dehumanize and attack segments of the population has gone disproportionately mainstream on that side of the spectrum. So many talking points involve a vaguely-defined "enemy" of some kind. It's unfortunate that people get sucked into it, but you can't really blame the individuals when the leaders they look up to are actively working to mobilize them in that way as a political strategy.

I guess the ideological space the left fills at the moment just isn't one that requires that type of anger to support. There are certainly issues to get angry about, but in general it's just taking that low-hanging fruit of giving your fellow humans the same respect you would want for yourself and your loved ones, even if they seem different or weird to you.

MagicShel,

Yeah I suspect you’re right.

Remmock,

The Left is smarter. Interpret that however you like.

chitak166,

More to lose, as well.

Evilcoleslaw,

It isn’t happening as much from the left because we understand that the full power of the state will be used to crush the left violently and without remorse in a way that doesn’t happen to those on the right.

Imagine if the actions on January 6 were done by leftists. What do you think we would have seen play out instead?

MagicShel, (edited )

There are crazy people on both sides. This isn’t about Jan 6, this is about crazies with weapons and no hope for the future.

But look, it’s not happening so clearly there’s something missing from the train of thought. Happily.

Edit: Stochastic violence isn’t an organized mob of people attacking the Whitehouse. It’s crazy folks shooting up gay night clubs or attacking brown people in grocery stores. Mental illness isn’t exclusive to the right wing and I’m not a both sides are the same guy.

Dkarma,

Funny how the two results you gave are both right wing attacks.

MagicShel,

That’s exactly my point. I know somehow I’ve managed to phrase it like an asshole or something but that exactly my point. We know we are under attack. Some of us are pretty fucking angry about it. But we aren’t resorting to violence even though the system is failing us.

I’m being really loose with the “we” here but it’s a much shorter word.

mindbleach,

Nobody exiting the building would’ve gone home that night, for a fucking start.

Cosmonauticus,

Imagine if the actions on January 6 were done by leftists. What do you think we would have seen play out instead

Depends if they were all white

naught,

Is it??? Anyone calling public servants with death threats I’m gonna go ahead and disagree with

deegeese,

When the SC publishes ethical rules legalizing bribery, they’re inviting anyone with a sense of justice to take matters into their own hands.

naught,

Shit take. Anyone calling in death threats is ethically bankrupt at the very least. What justice is there in murder?

Blackbeard,
@Blackbeard@lemmy.world avatar

deleted_by_moderator

    •
    JonsJava,
    @JonsJava@lemmy.world avatar

    This comment was removed out of an abundance of caution, while I brought it to the other moderators for their thoughts. After a discussion, I agree that I acted in haste, and I truly am sorry.

    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    our founding fathers were very clearly A-OK with murder of “tyrants”

    You’d be right to think that, what with the whole “Revolutionary War” thing, but it’s interesting in that the whole reason we have impeachment is because of Benjamin Franklin’s opposition to assassination:

    historynewsnetwork.org/article/173296

    “What was the practice before in cases where the chief magistrate rendered himself obnoxious? Why, recourse was had to assassination in which he was not only deprived of his life but of the opportunity of vindicating his character. It would be the best way therefore to provide in the Constitution for the regular punishment of the Executive where his misconduct should deserve it, and for his honorable acquittal when he should be unjustly accused."

    Madison followed:

    “It is indispensable that some provision be made for defending the community against incapacity, negligence, or perfidy of the chief magistrate. The limitation of the period of his service is not a sufficient security. He might lose his capacity after his appointment. He might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression. He might betray his trust to foreign powers.”

    Blackbeard,
    @Blackbeard@lemmy.world avatar

    Thomas Jefferson: “What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

    naught,

    The system is constantly changing. We have the power and tools to effect change, despite the recent backsliding. SCOTUS is corrupt, yes, but we should be trying to change it, not making fucking deranged phone calls threatening people’s lives

    fukhueson,

    deleted_by_author

    •
    Blackbeard,
    @Blackbeard@lemmy.world avatar

    trying to make not calling in death threats seem like you’re part of the problem

    That’s quite literally what no one in this thread is arguing.

    fukhueson,

    deleted_by_author

    •
    Blackbeard,
    @Blackbeard@lemmy.world avatar

    Amazing how people can make sober assessments without whacking at inane, strawmen caricatures. You should try it sometime.

    Blackbeard,
    @Blackbeard@lemmy.world avatar

    I don’t disagree. I also think there are many women across the country whose lives are literally at risk this very moment who might not take much solace in the incremental pace of change. I’m not excusing violence, I’m simply explaining it. It’s wrong, but so is a lot of the bullshit SCOTUS is currently doing, so to many people the idea of “right” and “wrong” simply doesn’t compute the same way as it does with you and me.

    tacosplease,

    There’s justice in murdering removing by any means dictators like the H guy, Stalin, Putin… What about their main advisors? Then what about the influential people who prop them up? The line is somewhere.

    One could argue certain judges’/politicians’ responses to COVID, Ukraine funding, women’s healthcare, etc. are already costing far more lives than they are helping/saving.

    Cynical leaders tie themselves to the alternate track and see how many bodies they can stack on the main line while daring someone to switch the trolley.

    naught,

    Ah yes Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas. They will surely be remembered amongst the likes of Hitler. How many lives have you cost vs saved? Can you possibly know? Should I call in death threats to anyone I personally judge to have a negative effect on the world? Where do you draw the line? WHO gets to draw the line?

    This is insanity

    tacosplease,

    I don’t think we’re there yet either but at the same time, if we were to get to that point, most people (including myself probably) would not recognize it without some painful hindsight. Don’t be like the frog that doesn’t notice the water approaching boiling point.

    Besides, I’m not comparing our SC to murderous dictators of the past. I’m just refuting your assertion that threats and/or force are never the right option. When you follow the “what ifs” to their extremes it seems obvious that pacifism is not a universal good.

    naught,

    I think it’s extremely hard to justify violence other than in very clear cases of absolute self-preservation. I think the system needs to change and that the SC is anti-democratic. However, we are excusing/advocating for terrorism here. The aim is a policy change through violence or the threat thereof.

    Fair enough - I figured you were drawing comparisons. Regardless in this case, I say, no matter which Justice this maniac was threatening, his actions are wrong. Period.

    It’s disheartening to read so many rabid comments from people who I otherwise probably agree with on most things. I usually see that kind of bloodthirstiness from a different kind of person.

    Lemmygizer,

    For legal purposes, this is only a joke.

    It’s really the only way for a normal person to effect the SC. They are given lifetime appointments, it doesn’t say how long those lifetimes have to be.

    Checks and balances, yo.

    dreamer,

    Many of you here need to grow up.

    nul9o9,

    The Supreme Courts decision to gut abortion rights has threatened the lives of millions of women. I can see where someone would find justice there.

    treefrog,

    At some point it becomes self defense.

    Maybe guys wife died because she was refused health care.

    naught,

    What? Do you really think that? Where does this end? Can he kill a doctor if his wife died in childbirth due to the doctor’s negligence? Can he kill his local mayor who slashed fire & rescue budgets if his wife dies in a fire? You’re describing revenge, retribution. It’s toxic. It’s insane. Imagine a Trumper making this argument about immigrants or something stupid like that.

    treefrog,

    Negligence is different than wilfully using the law to deny a woman life saving medical care. Or willfully taking bribes from oil and gas barons while the world burns.

    At some point standing up against oppression may require violence. This is a lesson learned from history. Calling self defense revenge, murder, toxic, etc. is exactly what keeps sociopaths feeling safe in their ivory towers while the world burns.

    naught,

    No, it’s really not. People are harmed or even die either way. Who draws the line and where? Should we publicly execute all tobacco execs right now? Is that something you would agree with? What about automotive execs who purposefully lied about emissions standards for profit? They are killing real people. Do you extend your quest for blood to the peons who lied on the tests? The engineers that implemented them? Say a conservative starts bombing clinics that do abortions - are they justified? They see abortion as murder – are they not nobly preventing further murders for the greater good? Tell me who decides and where the line is drawn and you may have your pound of flesh.

    Only a sociopath sees violence as necessary for progress in a democracy. If violence becomes necessary it should be mourned, lamented. We are absolutely not there yet. This is extreme and irresponsible rhetoric.

    treefrog, (edited )

    That you can’t understand the difference between intent and negligence told me enough. So, I didn’t bother reading the rest.

    Take care and enjoy your moral high ground.

    naught,

    I’m sure it is challenging for you to read more than a few sentences. I provided you with examples of malicious intent and you closed your eyes and plugged your ears. You can do better.

    treefrog,

    Cool, so now you’re resorting to personal attacks.

    Again, enjoy your moral high ground.

    naught,

    I replied specifically and directly to your points with new examples. You in turn replied by saying you wouldn’t read them. Either way, thank you for ceding the high ground – the view is nice from up here :)

    naught,

    Im the last person to approve of SCOTUS. Does that mean I think it’s ever right to call in death threats to like, anyone? Absolutely fucking not. I think it’s truly insane that anyone here is entertaining this. Imagine (well, you don’t really have to) the “other side” doing this shit. It would be reprehensible, just like this bullshit. Hell, for all we know it was a “liberal” justice getting threats and suddenly our opinion on this situation changes? Screw that.

    Two wrongs and all that. Eye for an eye… surely there is some simple saying that makes this easy to understand

    nul9o9,

    I guess so, but I’m not seeing a ton of liberal policies that are causing harm to individual lives. I think that’s where you are seeing a “double standard” appear.

    naught,

    It’s not just about the double standard, it’s about right and wrong. If we abandon our morals at the first sign of adversity, then what do we stand for? How can I stand for democracy if I’m okay with the life being snuffed from those who disagree with me. That’s not democracy. There is no room for political violence

    magnetosphere,
    magnetosphere avatar

    I’m against the death penalty for two reasons. One, it’s surprising (and disturbing) how often “solved” cases turn out to be wrong, and convictions are overturned. Finding someone innocent does no good if they’ve already been executed.

    Two (and I’m not proud of this one) if someone has done something worthy of the death penalty, I want them to suffer. Dying by quick, painless lethal injection is relatively easy. I want that asshole to spend decades in a cage, and not get an audience for their parting words.

    agent_flounder,
    @agent_flounder@lemmy.world avatar

    Death row inmates are usually there for quite some time but, yeah, I agree with everything else you said. Capital punishment is just fucked up. Our whole prison system should be more about rehabilitation and protection of society from harmful criminals (that includes violent as well as white collar). Less about retribution. And deterrence pretty much doesn’t work on the worst crimes.

    Fredselfish,
    @Fredselfish@lemmy.world avatar

    We need a Batman but unfortunately its because of billionaires that cause this. Could we crowd source one?

    alienanimals,

    This guy would be advocating against killing Hitler in 1943 because he’s a “public servant”.

    naught,

    Insane that you could even draw a slight comparison. Among other things I am a fucking anti-racist, anti-fascist, leftist. What an idiotic thing to say to me.

    The second we live in a fascist dictatorship feel free to go all operation Valkyrie on our glorious leader Brett Kavanaugh but until then you’re nothing but a keyboard warrior defending some psycho making death threat phone calls.

    alienanimals,

    I’m merely repeating your logic and showing you how insane it is. You’re welcome.

    naught,

    Insane that I’m not calling for the death of public officials and defending calling in death threats? Are you serious?

    alienanimals,

    Back to my original comment showing the fault in your logic - you would have defended Hitler because he was a public official? Are you serious?

    Just because someone is a public official, that doesn’t make them some sort of angel who would never cause massive damage to everyone else because of their own fucked up and greedy desires.

    naught,

    You are comparing apples to oranges. You did the typical internet fallacy of comparing everything to Hitler. Brett Kavanaugh and his associates have yet to suggest we round up our Jewish friends and execute them en masse, so please tell me of the parallels.

    You are making a false equivalence to bolster your trite nazi analogy. You pretend like I treat Hitler the same way I’d treat a senator or supreme court justice. It’s false on its face.

    alienanimals,

    That’s Godwin’s law. It’s not a fallacy, but good try.

    Your logic was that it’s never acceptable for a public servant to be threatened. I provided you with an example that showed your logic was faulty. You’re unable to admit to your fault. You might want to re-examine your logic and look inward to see why you can’t see when you’re wrong.

    Anyway, that’s all the time I’m going to spend today to educate you. You’ll probably just end up with the same mindset, “Hurr durr I’m always right!”

    naught,

    I said nothing about specific fallacies, only that your argument is fallacious and you are appealing to the classic Hitler boogeyman. If you want specifics, you’re currently using a straw man. The situation in Nazi Germany is incomparable to the present day United States. You are completely ignoring all of the context surrounding Hitler, particularly the fact that he wasn’t just a “public servant” so much as he was a fascist dictator. The fact that he advocated for the eradication of an entire people. If a justice was a fascist dictator then I would absolutely support their timely death.

    I engaged here specifically to keep an open mind and to challenge what I think. On this particular issue, I have yet to hear a convincing argument that the unwell individual making death threats to SCOTUS was justified. My point was and is that the actions this person took were wrong and unethical. I mean, this is further bolstered by the fact that the man clearly had a psychotic break. Am I correct in my understanding of your position?:

    • The death threat phone calls were justified and morally correct
    • Future death threats are justified
    • Future political violence in our current system is justified
    alienanimals,

    You did the typical internet fallacy

    I said nothing about specific fallacies

    Lol. You’re not even intelligent enough to remember what you’ve written.

    You also have 0 ability to admit to your mistakes. It’s no wonder you’re butthurt when someone shows you that your argument lacks any logic.

    naught,

    You know that “fallacy” doesn’t have to refer to a specific, logical fallacy, right? Now you’re insulting my intelligence when I’m replying in earnest? You neglected to read past the first sentence of my comment, invoked Hitler, and are still defending the actions of a crazed individual who is calling in death threats to SCOTUS. Not only that, but you have laser focused on specific words in my comments, insulted me, and never even addressed the actual point. Ironic considering you’re touting yourself to be the fallacy expert. Have a nice day and try not to call in any perfectly justified death threats!

    Guy_Fieris_Hair,

    Calling the current Supreme Court “public” servants is a stretch. 🤷‍♂️

    naught,

    true lol

    treefrog,

    It was Roberts according to jail psych evaluations. Guy is on anti-psychotics for delusional thinking.

    www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/…/ar-AA1lK0Xm

    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    Florida AND naming himself in the threat?

    Seems like a good opportunity to talk about a national mental health care plan.

    TechyDad,
    @TechyDad@lemmy.world avatar

    Definitely this. Republicans love to blame “mental health issues” whenever a mass shooting happens or one of their base does something crazy. It’s much easier to just deflect to “mental health issue” than it is to talk about gun control measures.

    And yet they also don’t want to boost mental health coverage.

    So if we’re not going to get sensible gun control legislation, can we at least get some decent mental health care coverage?

    spider,

    Republicans love to blame “mental health issues” … And yet they also don’t want to boost mental health coverage.

    It’s similar to their abortion bans and social safety net cuts.

    treefrog,

    Some of the most effective psychiatric treatments are currently illegal due to Nixon era drug policies. Thankfully, several of them are in phase three trials after decades of research and navigating DEA policies. And may reach patients as soon as next year.

    My point is, mental health care reform is drug policy reform. Another thing the right refuses to talk about because the drug war serves their political ends by taking the right to vote away from people who use drugs.

    And of course it goes deeper than this. The right actively promotes many systemic issues that contribute directly to poor mental health in a country’s citizens. Even if we ended the drug war and made mental health care free for everyone, millions of us would still wake up in despair as we watch the right sell our future to oil and gas lobbies, for example.

    Mental health is pure deflection on their part. As I’m sure you’re aware. But I still wanted to get up on my soap box and explain how the drug war serves the GOP and obstructs mental health care in the U.S.

    TechyDad,
    @TechyDad@lemmy.world avatar

    Oh, these things are definitely interconnected. The War On Drugs was started mainly for racist/political reasons. Nixon couldn’t say “let’s arrest all the black Civil Rights leaders,” but if he could find a drug that black people tended to use (either for real or stereotypically used), he could arrest them for drug possession/use and disrupt those troublesome groups.

    And many mental health issues can have their root in money issues. To give myself as an example, I’ve recently been feeling a ton of anxiety over my job. I know I’m talented, but I’m plagued by self doubt and worry about being let go and needing to find a new job. At 48 years old and with a family to support, this can be a lot of pressure. The pressure increases my anxiety and which stresses me out in a feedback loop. Perhaps I could benefit from therapy, but that costs money which then gets added to my financial woes. So I’m stuck with “dealing with it” as best I can. Yay capitalism?

    treefrog,

    Sorry to hear about your financial stress. I struggle with that as well.

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