Man convicted in plot to kill Republican congressman
Brady Knox
Video Embed
A Kansas man is facing a possible 10-year prison sentence after being found guilty of threatening to kill Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS).
Chase Neill, 32, opted to represent himself in the trial. He argued that he was only relaying a message from God when he left a voicemail at LaTurner’s office saying, “I will kill you,” Fox News Digital reported.
“This is not me saying, ‘I’m going to chase you down with a knife,’ or something like that,” Neill said.
TIKTOK BANNED FROM STATE-ISSUED PHONES IN KANSAS
The jury was unconvinced. They found him guilty on Thursday, two days after the trial began. Upon being read his verdict, Neill remained stoic, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.
The decision to allow the defendant to represent himself was controversial. Court records showed that he had sustained a traumatic head injury previously, and Judge Holly Teeter feared that it may affect his ability to represent himself properly.
Teeter said Neill has “a mental disease and that the mental disease renders him unable to assist properly in his defense.” Nevertheless, he was deemed fit to stand trial after a psychological evaluation.
The height of the trial came Wednesday when Neill cross-examined LaTurner himself, the Associated Press reported.
In the exchange, Neill asked whether it was reasonable to identify himself as the son of God in the voicemail.
“I thought the whole voicemail was unreasonable, especially the death threat parts,” LaTurner replied.
LaTurner went on to celebrate the conviction, releasing a statement thanking law enforcement and the legal system.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Violence and threats of violence have no place in our society,” he said.
“My family and I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office, Capitol Police, FBI, and other federal and local law enforcement officers for doing their jobs with honesty and integrity,” he added.