CNN
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A Mississippi man is in jail after being charged with threatening to kill Republican Sen. Roger Wicker final week.
William C. Sappington is charged with threatening to injure or kill a United States official, a federal offense, in line with court docket paperwork, and was ordered by a US Justice of the Peace decide to be held in jail pending trial throughout a Wednesday detention listening to.
The incident provides to current issues about threats of violence towards elected and public officers.
The FBI mentioned in court docket paperwork that Sappington had gone to the house of Wicker’s cousin in Hickory Flat, Mississippi, final Wednesday in search of the senator.
Wicker’s cousin, George, advised an FBI agent that Sappington walked as much as the again door of his home, requested for the senator after which mentioned, “You inform him I’m going to kill him,” the paperwork present.
George Wicker requested Sappington why he was in search of the senator and he responded, “As a result of he is aware of,” in line with the court docket data.
George Wicker then advised Sappington he would attempt to attain the senator, however he as an alternative known as police, and officers quickly arrived, the data state.
The subsequent day, an FBI agent interviewed Sappington in jail and he denied ever stating he wished to kill the senator, in line with court docket data.
“Sappington advised me that if he wished to kill somebody, he would simply do it,” the FBI agent mentioned within the court docket paperwork.
Attorneys for Sappington declined to remark.
The Related Press first reported on Sappington’s arrest.
Court docket data present that Sappington was arrested in 2014 for aggravated assault towards his brother.
The data state that Sappington had been looking for an legal professional “to get justice for his arrest that occurred in 2014” and that he felt he had been kidnapped by regulation enforcement, however he couldn’t discover an legal professional to take his case.
“Sappington felt that speaking to the Senator that represents his space was his final plan of action to get justice,” the FBI mentioned within the court docket data.
Somebody gave Sappington the handle for the senator’s cousin, the FBI mentioned.
“Sappington then defined to George Wicker that Roger Wicker might get the dying penalty for conspiring to kidnap Sappington again in 2014,” in line with the court docket data.
Court docket data present that along with having a previous legal report, Sappington participated “in legal exercise whereas on probation, parole, or supervision” and that he has a “historical past of violence or use of weapons.”