{"id":352171,"date":"2023-11-15T09:47:29","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/threatening-the-president-or-other-government-officials.html"},"modified":"2023-11-15T09:47:29","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T14:47:29","slug":"threatening-the-president-or-other-government-officials","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/threatening-the-president-or-other-government-officials.html","title":{"rendered":"Threatening the President or Other Government Officials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Threatening the President or Other Government Officials<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Threatening the president or other protected officials is a serious federal crime under U.S. law. While the First Amendment protects free speech, credible threats \u2014 those made knowingly and willfully \u2014 are not protected. Courts evaluate the context, intent, and impact of the statement to determine whether it constitutes a true threat.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

On March 21, 2010, a man in Texas posted a rant threatening the life of President Barack Obama on the popular online classifieds site Craigslist. The post expressed anger over the passage of the Affordable Care Act and stated: “It is time for Obama to die. I am dedicating my life to the death of Obama and every employee of the federal government.”<\/p>\n

\u00a0The U.S. Secret Service tracked the incendiary comments to\u00a0Brian Dean Miller<\/a>. Miller opposed the legislation overhauling health care. They arrested him for threatening the president.<\/p>\n

As with most other guarantees under the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment\u00a0right to free speech<\/a>\u00a0has limits. Miller, whose speech crossed the line, pleaded guilty in a Dallas federal court. The judge sentenced him to 27 months in prison without parole.<\/p>\n

This article explores the federal law crime of threatening the president of the United States. Threats against government officials are serious and a\u00a0crime against the government<\/a>. If you are facing this type of charge \u2014 or any federal offense \u2014 you will want expert legal help on your side. Contact a criminal law attorney<\/a>\u00a0today to help safeguard your future.<\/p>\n

Presidential Threats: 18 U.S. Code Section 879<\/h2>\n

The statutes criminalizing threats against the president and other federal officials appear in\u00a0Chapter 41<\/a> of the U.S. Code. This chapter covers several threat-related offenses involving federal officials and other protected people.<\/p>\n

Chapter 41 also details crimes against the government, such as:<\/p>\n