By Mark Pratt | Related Press
A California man who made violent anti-LGBTQ-related threats in opposition to dictionary writer Merriam-Webster Inc. over its up to date gender definitions was sentenced Thursday to a yr in jail.
The sentence imposed on Jeremy Hanson, 35, by a federal court docket in Massachusetts additionally included 30 days of house confinement, three years of probation and psychological well being therapy.
Hanson pleaded responsible final yr to interstate transmission of threatening communications in reference to threats made to the Springfield, Massachusetts-based dictionary writer and to the president of the College of North Texas.
In court docket paperwork, prosecutors stated the Orange County man has a historical past of creating “threatening communications, almost all of which had been motivated by … biases primarily based upon race, gender, gender identification, and/or sexual orientation.”
These different communications had been directed on the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty Worldwide, Land O’ Lakes Inc., Hasbro, a nonbinary rabbi and others, prosecutors stated.
In a distant listening to Thursday, prosecutor Steven Breslow requested for an 18-month jail sentence, partly to function a deterrent to others at a time when violent rhetoric is changing into extra frequent.
Hanson’s protection lawyer, Marissa Elkins, requested that her consumer be sentenced to the time he has already served, citing his historical past of emotional and behavioral points, together with anxiousness and obsessive-compulsive dysfunction.
Extra time behind bars might negatively have an effect on his psychological well being, she stated.
Decide Mark Mastroianni in U.S District Court docket in Springfield acknowledged Hanson’s medical historical past and stated he had no intent or capability to hold out his threats, however referred to as his actions “disturbing and terrifying.”
He famous that Merriam-Webster administration was “fearful that Hanson would come to their workplace and trigger hurt,” and stated inside firm communications referenced the 2015 assault on Charlie Hebdo places of work in France, the place terrorists killed 12 individuals who labored for the satirical weekly newspaper.
Hanson despatched Merriam-Webster threatening messages and feedback between Oct. 2 and Oct. 8, 2021, utilizing the web site’s “contact us” operate, the place he commented on phrase entries reminiscent of “woman,” “girl” and “feminine,” prosecutors stated.
“It's completely sickening that Merriam-Webster now tells blatant lies and promotes anti-science propaganda,” Hanson wrote, in line with prosecutors. “There isn't any such factor as ‘gender identification.’ The imbecile who wrote this entry ought to be hunted down and shot.”
Twice he threatened to shoot and bomb firm headquarters, prompting Merriam-Webster to shut places of work in Springfield and New York Metropolis for a number of days, prosecutors stated.
Hanson additionally wrote an e-mail to the president of the College of North Texas in 2022 that stated, “You should be shot within the head and have your places of work set on fireplace,” for supporting transgender college students, prosecutors stated.
Hanson, who appeared on the listening to remotely from a California jail, declined to handle the court docket when given the chance.