Man accused of judge threats called FBI informant

A New Jersey blogger accused of threatening to kill three federal judges has been an FBI informant and even told authorities about a potential plot to assassinate President Barack Obama, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Blogger Hal Turner pleaded not guilty earlier in the day to charges that he threatened to kill three Chicago-based federal appeals judges.

At his bond hearing, defense attorney Michael Orozco said the 47-year-old Turner of North Bergen, N.J., was not a danger to the community as federal prosecutors claim. Turner deserved to be released on bond, Orozco said, adding that he had served as an FBI confidential informant.

"He provided information about the potential assassination of President Obama," Orozco told U.S. Magistrate Judge Martin C. Ashman.

Orozco acknowledged that he had no independent confirmation concerning a potential assassination and had only the word of his client - a political extremist whose views the lawyer himself repeatedly described as "outlandish."

The attorney also acknowledged that at some time in the past Turner had taken medicine for an emotional condition but said he no longer does because "he doesn't need it."

Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hogan told Ashman he "never heard anything about that" potential assassination. He said Turner's contacts with the FBI ended "quite some time ago."

After court, Hogan and a federal spokesman, Randall Samborn, declined to comment further about Turner's relationship with the FBI or federal marshals.

Ashman gave Turner until an Aug. 10 continuation of the bond hearing to produce concrete evidence of Turner's help to the FBI or federal marshals. He ordered Turner held in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in the meantime.

After court, Orozco said he would try to subpoena Turner's FBI "handler" for the Aug. 10 hearing.

Turner had said in Internet postings in June that the three federal appeals judges "deserve to be killed" because they issued a ruling that upheld ordinances in Chicago and suburban Oak Park banning handguns. He included their photos and the room numbers of their chambers at the courthouse.

Orozco said Turner had never advocated the murder of judges but merely gave his opinion, which was constitutionally protected free speech.

Turner is also facing charges in Connecticut for urging people there to "take up arms" against state legislators. He is scheduled to be in court Aug. 4 for arraignment.