Man who threatened 'South Park' creators gets 25 years in prison

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- A 21-year-old man who admitted posting online threats against the creators of the animated TV series "South Park" was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison.

Zachary Adam Chesser encouraged violent jihadists to attack "South Park" writers for an episode that depicted the Prophet Mohammed in a bear suit, court documents said.

He posted online messages that included the writers' home addresses and urged online readers to "pay them a visit," the documents said.

"His actions caused people throughout the country to fear speaking out -- even in jest -- to avoid being labeled as enemies who deserved to be killed," U.S. Attorney Neil MacBride said. "The fact that a young man from Northern Virginia could support such violence and terror is a sobering reminder of the serious threat that homegrown jihadists pose to this country."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/24/virginia.terror.sentence/

[leftynyc]

1. Good

It's a stiff sentence by maybe it'll stop threats against free speech.

[No Elephants]

44. Self delete

[Rabblevox]

2. that is so wrong and evil...

Don't get me wrong. The guy deserves to do time. I'm not defending his actions at all. But 25 years??? For a vaguely worded threat??? Should have been 3 months, maybe 6 tops. "Dude, you were stupid and it was wrong. Don't do it again." It should absolutely NOT cost him the best part of his life.

I hope Trey and Matt have the balls to bring this travesty to a future episode of SP.

[closeupready]

3. Is there a precedent for such a huge prison term for incitement?

If not, I'd need to know more specifics about what he did, and why 25 years is warranted.

Further, if there were no actual measurable effects to his actions, that does seem like an excessive sentence.

Am I wrong?

On edit, there is this:

>>Chesser pleaded guilty in October to providing material support to terrorists, communicating threats and soliciting others to threaten violence. The three charges carried a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.<<

>>Chesser also admitted that he tried to go to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab, an Islamic militant group that the United States considers a terrorist organization.<<

That does sort of make things seem more sinister, than if he'd simply been a prankster. In light of that, I do think 10-15 is warranted.

[pdefalla]

6. No Measurable Effects.........?

It's like firing a bullet at someone. If you miss, you are just as guilty as if you were successful, even if the sentence is less.
When you start encouraging murder, it needs to be taken very seriously.

[NeoConsSuck]

21. So how many years

should Sarah Palin and the rest of her crowd do?

[speltwon]

24. Yes, it was a lot more than just the threats. Try this link

http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

People are assuming, especially because of the title of the post that he got 25 yrs for the threats. That's like saying Susan Smart got life for dumping her car in the water. It leaves out just a few details of all the stuff he did. The threats were not the half of it. This is the problem with relying on brief, sensationalist media reports.

[obliviously]

15. Okay then

I have you down for it's okay to threaten someones life and to infringe on others free speech. Congrats

[Mr Generic Other]

19. i agree rabblevox,

especially when those who make similar threats to congress-people get off with a slap on the wrist.

[speltwon]

25. Except you are wrongly concluding that he got 25 yrs merely for making threats

which is not nearly true.

http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

He did far more than merely threaten Trey and Matt.

[TxVietVet]

35. He did a lot more things that were worse.

Threatening was minor compared to other actions he had taken.

Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee: An Extensive Online Footprint Introduction


Posted: April 20, 2010


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Park Controversy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online Activity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Updated: November 9, 2010



A Virginia man who targeted the creators of South Park for satirizing issues surrounding the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad has pleaded guilty to attempting to travel to Somalia and join an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group.



On October 20, 2010, Zachary Adam Chesser (a.k.a. Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee), 20, pleaded guilty to providing material support to Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist organization based in Somalia, soliciting crimes of violence and communicating threats. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.



Chesser, a U.S. citizen from Virginia, was arrested and charged on July 21, 2010, two weeks after he was originally apprehended as he attempted to board a plane to Uganda, en route to Somalia to join Al Shabaab. He later told federal authorities that he had also attempted to travel to Somalia several months before.





READ MORE:
http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

[speltwon]

36. Exactly. Imo providing material support to Al Shabaab in and of itself

justifies a 25 yr sentence.

[speltwon]

23. except he didn't get 25 yrs for the threats

This is the problem with forming an opinion based on a brief, vague, and arguably sensationalist media article vs. actually looking at the totality of the facts.

He got 25 yrs for the entirety of what he was charged with, and the threats were just a small part...

Here, try this...

http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

[Rabblevox]

31. I'll repeat. NOTHING he did, even in combination, warrants 25 years...

I still say 1 year, tops. And that's if you believe every single word from the Anti-Defamation League and CNN on the subject of terrorism.

Strangely, I do not. They have both proven to be liars, and rather inept ones at that.

[speltwon]

34. No, I believe what he was CONVICTED of was what he received the sentence for

That's a matter of public record. He may in fact be 100% innocent of all charges he was convicted of, but the fact is indisputable that he was convicted of a hell of a lot more than the threats towards Matt and Trey. And note that he was convicted pursuant to a guilty plea.

It is a false assumption that his 25 yr sentence was because of the threats. That's a matter of record per the court docket.

Here's the fact: he pled guilty to providing material support to Al Shabaab. That alone justifies the sentence imo.

[geek tragedy]

30. He also tried to travel to Somalia to sign up

with some real terrorists.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. Ludicrous

18 months max. This is kookoo bananas.

[speltwon]

22. Try looking at the entirety of what he did and NOT just the media

blurb. He didn't merely make some idle threats.

[truthisfreedom]

5. Yes, the better part of his life will be wasted in prison. But, this sends a serious message to the

other idiots out there. He can appeal.

[realisticphish]

7. while this SHOULD be punished

I don't know that it's any different from the actions of other radical groups that go unpunished

[speltwon]

26. Really?

http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

[nyc 4 Biden]

8. and what about beck and limbaugh? n/t

[speltwon]

27. Did Beck and Limbaugh do this?

http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

People are keying off a lay media puff piece to determine what he did.

[Mr. Sparkle]

9. if this jackass deserves 25 years, then Bill O' Reilly and his motley crew over at fox deserve to be

locked up for life.

[Rabblevox]

10. "His actions caused people throughout the country to fear speaking out"...

The DA's words, and they chill me to the fucking core. Because it is this sentence...25 years for words...that has me terrified of speaking out.

Making threats is not OK, I'm not condoning or excusing it. But until 9/11, threats were considered in most states a crime of "verbal assault"... a misdemeanor, and was punishable by up to a year in jail. Now it's a "terrorist threat" that can wind you up in prison for most of your life.

25 years for words...think about it...think about it some more.

And they say it's to "protect free speech"
:puke:
:puke:
:puke:

[BobbyBoring]

11. And he isn't even an Ali??

This is what happens in a police state. Just FYI, giving someone the finger can be considered assault in some states. Be carefully what you say and watch those hand gestures!

[LanternWaste]

12. When a lack of brains goes up against a lack of taste

When a lack of brains goes up against a lack of taste, smart money goes to lack of taste any day...

[LiberalLovinLug]

13. Depends who makes the threat

If a fascist right winger makes a threat against a "liberal", on Television to millions of viewers its "freedom of speech"

ie. Glenn Beck's encouragement for someone to murder Michael Moore.

If an Islamist extremist makes a threat online its a "sobering reminder of the serious threat that homegrown jihadists pose to this country."

Its the double standard that's so out of whack.

[thereismore]

14. 25 years? Did he kill anybody? This is ridiculous. nt

[speltwon]

28. Do you still think it's ridiculous?

http://www.adl.org/main_Terrorism/abu_talhah.htm

[Rabblevox]

32. What I find ridiculous is that you believe the ADL story verbatim. Not...

exactly an un-biased source, ya know? And even IF every word is true, still a ridiculous sentence.

[speltwon]

33. *IF* every word is true, imo a perfectly justified sentence

Regardless of whether it's true, it is clearly untrue that he was given the sentence only for threatening Matt and Trey. In fact, that's the LEAST of what he was convicted of doing, but many people are saying that getting 25 yrs for threatening them is unreasonable. And I agree. But he didn't get 25 yrs merely for THAT offense. There were several.

That's the point. The incorrect assumption that the length of the sentence derived from his threats towards Matt and Trey.

[slackmaster]

16. Authoritah

[msanthrope]

17. Soliciting murder on behalf of your sky-fairy? Being a traitor? 25 years is a good start.

I just hope the next prosecution is some abortion-clinic protestor who thinks they can harass and intimidate.

[devils chaplain]

38. Perfectly said. N/T

[DeadEyeDyck]

18. KnR

[MadMaddie]

20. Sorry this sentence means nothing if it not applied across the

board to Christian Zeolots too.

The Ant-Abortion crowd makes threats directly to drs and nurses providing womens health care on a daily basis. They show up at their homes and stalk them. They send letters, emails and faxes with threats directly to those providers.

So when the Christian zeolots get sentences like this then I will applaud the sentences.

[Freddie Stubbs]

39. I am sure that Chesser thinks that the sentence means something

[MadMaddie]

41. Don't get me wrong he got what he deserved but for

every 1 of these guys there are hundreds of American Christian Zeolots in America doing the same thing. When do we stop treating them with kid gloves?

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. If you know of someone who should be prosecuted, why haven't you presented the evidence to the FBI?

[geek tragedy]

29. He also tried to join a terrorist outfit in Somalia.

Lock 'em up.

Unfortunately, he already successfully bred.

[Electric Monk]

37. When is Sarah "Bullseye on Giffords" Palin's trial scheduled for?

[Dappleganger]

40. Yet if a christian calls for attacks on abortion doctors or clinics...

they get off free or with a slap on the wrist.

[Bardley]

43. i do not support any kind of criminal activity in any way, but

i really had no sympathy for the south park creators

they're vulgar, snot nosed punks, and super low grade animators who get their kicks provoking people, and what goes around can come around

they jeer the 'stupidity' of everyone else in society, then expect sympathy (from those they mock) when needlessly picking fights with terrorists puts them in danger. who's the stupid ones again?!?!

their 'dey took ur jerbs' might be real funny to young rich people, but it's no laughing matter to a middle aged person who's worked hard all their life, played by the rules, never picked fights with anyone and faces losing it all

[ButterflyBlood]

45. If I were Obama, I'd give this guy a pardon

Fuck South Park.