While acknowledging years of mental health problems, a federal judge nevertheless sentenced a Bloomington man to nearly two years in federal prison Friday for repeatedly threatening the life of President Barack Obama.
While acknowledging years of mental health problems, a federal judge nevertheless sentenced a Bloomington man to nearly two years in federal prison Friday for repeatedly threatening the life of President Barack Obama.
U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade noted the problems Phillip R. Porter, 23, had over the years and appeared to consider arguments from Porter's attorney that about a year was more appropriate.
But that changed, it seemed, when the judge asked Porter why he would, at times, not take his medication to control his bipolar or antisocial disorders.
"Just being lazy," he said, causing McDade to repeat his answer in amazement.
McDade, in passing sentence, said it was clear that when Porter didn't take his mediations, he would act out in violent ways and the public needed to be protected.
Porter pleaded guilty in July to threatening the president for making calls to the Richmond, Va., office of the FBI four times on Jan. 25. Each time, he said he planned to kill the president. A Secret Service agent went to his house, where Porter again said he was going to kill Obama.
Porter told the agent he was strongly opposed to Obama's wartime policies and believed the president to be a liar and a manipulator. When he arrived in Washington, D.C., Porter said, he was going to stab Obama with a knife or shoot him.
Later, Porter said he never intended to carry out the threats. He said he made the calls because he was upset with his mother.
When he finishes his 21-month sentence, Porter will spend three years on supervised release, the federal version of probation. McDade recommended Porter serve his sentence at a prison in Springfield, Mo., which had a specialized mental health facility.
Andy Kravetz can be reached at 686-3283 or akravetz@pjstar.com.