Man charged with threatening to kill Obama

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A North Carolina man was indicted Friday on a charge that he threatened to shoot Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Blanchard was arrested Aug. 1 after witnesses told federal authorities they overheard him threatening to assassinate Obama in July. One said Blanchard said he planned to purchase a pistol.According to a federal affidavit, there was no proof Blanchard tried to carry out the threats.

MSNBC

I did a quick search and didn't find this already posted.

From what I've gathered in this story is that the only evidence or proof they have this man was going to do this is witnesses saying they "heard" or "overheard" Blanchard say he was going to shoot Obama.

Now people can be indicted just because someone says they heard you say something? No proof he tried to carry these acts out but yet was still indicted. Am I just tired and missing something here? If so please help me out. This doesn't sound right or legal or both. If that's the case I know a few people that I need out of the way maybe I should call the feds and tell them I heard them talking bout killing Obama or McCain.

If this has already been posted please delete.

Simon

How far can you go before something is considered a real threat ?
Saying that you ARE going to shoot someone, or that you would LIKE to shoot someone ?
I was always taught that it was illegal to even joke about killing a President. But with all the slander that everyone throws around these days. How far is too far

I'm not sure if it's illegal to joke about it or not. If so I'd be in biiiiig trouble. But then again most of the people I've joked with feel the same way. What I don't understand is what happened to having to have evidence or proof before you can indict or charge someone for something. A person/s just coming out and saying "Hey I heard so an so say this" to me isn't any kind of evidence or proof. To me its hearsay. Same with people that post threads here. The first thing we ask for is a link or proof. If a poster says they have no proof just their word do we believe them?


Well on second thoughts, I've never actually come out an joked that I would do something like that but the joking or discussions were along the lines of seeing the high possibility of it happening.

[edit on 30-8-2008 by Simon_Boudreaux]

reply to post by Simon_Boudreaux



Hearsay alone is legally enough for an indictment.

COSTELLO v. UNITED STATES 1956


www.thelaborers.net...

[edit on 31-8-2008 by Flory]