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| Stephen Joseph Christopher appears on Youtube saying, "I'm going to fucking kill you". |
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Man Charged In Threats Against Obama Says He's Messiah
WAPT-TV
Mon July 27, 2009
Area: Jackson, MS
JACKSON, Mississippi - A man who is accused of posting online threats to assassinate President Barack Obama says he's competent to stand trial.
Steven Joseph Christopher testified in federal court Monday that he's the messiah but said that he never had plans or the ability to hurt Obama. Christopher, of Wisconsin, was arrested in January by the Secret Service in Brookhaven and was charged with threatening to assassinate Obama for what he claimed was "the country's own good," according to federal prosecutors.
A news release said Christopher made the threats Jan. 11 and 15 on the Web site www.alien-earth.org. The video has also appeared on YouTube.
Christopher said the threats were an effort to get his platform out. He said that the world will be destroyed by fire on Dec. 12, 2012 and that the only safe place will be central Australia, where he will lead the survivors as the messiah.
Rodolfo Buigas, a forensic psychologist for the Bureau of Prisons, testified during Monday's hearing that Christopher understands that the threats were wrong, but said that he is delusional and therefore not competent to stand trial.
During Buigas' testimony, Christopher yelled out in the courtroom and called him a liar. Christopher's attorney said that two grad students had interviewed Christopher and said Buigas had only spoken with him for a few minutes.
Christopher's attorney argued that his client is competent to stand trial.
Judge Henry Wingate will resume testimony about Christopher's competency to stand trial on Tuesday before making a ruling.
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