Man threatens to kill 2 judges in NY prison letter, feds say. ‘That’s a promise’
A man sent a letter from prison threatening to kill a pair of New York judges, and now he’s been ordered to serve more time behind bars, officials said.
Christopher McCarty, 33, from Manhattan, was sentenced to five years in prison, plus three years of supervised release, in connection with sending the letter, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York said in a June 10 news release.
McClatchy News reached out to his attorney June 11 and was awaiting a response.
In a sentencing memorandum, his attorney wrote that he’s taken responsibility and apologized. McCarty was dealing with “untreated mental health conditions” when he sent the letter and later talked about it with an investigator, the memorandum said, adding that he’s since received some treatment.
McCarty was serving time in connection with a robbery conviction when he mailed the letter to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2023, according to a criminal complaint.
The handwritten letter threatened two judges who’d been involved in his court proceedings, according to prosecutors.
McCarty warned Hochul in the letter that he planned to kill the judges upon his release, the complaint said.
He described himself as “a very violent person,” adding that “if those judges think I’m playing watch when I come home I will make them a living hell and that’s a promise,” according to the complaint.
Hochul’s staff opened the letter, the complaint said.
In an interview with an investigator, McCarty admitted to penning the letter and said he was “‘really serious’ about the threats in his letter,” although he didn’t recall the judges’ names in his case, the complaint said.
McCarty also said “that if given the opportunity to kill the judges, he would do it,” according to the complaint.
The defense memorandum said the letter didn’t include the judges’ names or “indicate that he knew where they lived or any other personal information.”
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