CRIMINAL CASE: Connecticut v. Turner, No. ____ (Conn. Super. Ct. 2009)
Status: Pending.

On June 3, 2009, blogger and Internet radio host Hal Turner, a white supremacist, surrendered to police for comments on his program and web site that were alleged to constitute threats to two Connecticut elected officials and a state ethics official. Two weeks later, the FBI arrested Turner for alleged threats against three judges of the federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago (see U.S. v. Turner).

In the Connecticut case, Turner was charged with inciting injury to person or property, a Class C felony. He was released after posting $25,000 bail, and his lawyer is arguing that the comments were "political hyperbole" protected by the First Amendment.

Links and Court Documents:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/community/hc-hal-turner-0612.artjun12,0,6819350.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/hc-hal-turner-to-surrender-0611,0,5399521.story
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/nyregion/30radio.html?ref=global-home
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-hal-turner-court-0819.artaug19,0,5016631.story