An Ohio man was arrested on
charges that he threatened to blow up the U.S. Supreme Court and attack black
men, including a justice on the court, Clarence Thomas, according to an indictment
filed in federal court in Cleveland
on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.
It appears that David Tuason, 46, targeted “African-American
males known to affiliate with white females,” according to the Justice
Department. U.S. Attorney William Edwards claimed that Tuason of Pepper Pike,
Ohio, was accused of sending 200 threats by mail letters and e-mails over the past
20 years. “As far as we know, it's a one-man operation,” he declared for the
AP.
Edwards mentioned that a former Cleveland Cavaliers player
and his close relatives were among those threatened. He declined to name the
player. A well-known black singer who performed at Cleveland's Severance Hall was also cited as
being among the threatened men. However, FBI spokesman Scott Wilson did not
name those targeted, citing privacy issues. It seems that the threats started
in Cleveland
and branched out across the nation.
The indictment shows that Tuason sent a letter to the
Supreme Court building in July 2003 in which he threatened to blow it up. The
letter was addresses to an associate justice of the court referred to as “CT.” Supreme
Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg confirmed that the threat was made against Clarence
Thomas. David Tuason wrote “CT” would be “castrated, shot or set on fire...I
want him killed.” He also made several racially charged remarks.
Police officials mentioned that Tuason also sent threatening
e-mails to office staff at Jordache Enterprises.
David Tuason was arrested March 14 and he is currently in
the custody of U.S.
Marshals. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in jail for the count targeting
Thomas. Each mail charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
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