Man sentenced to 3 years for Facebook threat to kill Obama loses appeal

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A Wisconsin man lost his bid before a federal appeals court to set aside his 3-year prison sentence for threatening to kill then-President Barack Obama. The threats first appeared on Facebook, and were then made verbally to anybody who would listen, including to Secret Service agents.

Brian Dutcher, 56, posted on his Facebook page in June that he would attend an Obama speech in La Crosse, Wisconsin. "(sic) hopefully I will get clear shot at the pretend president. (sic) killing him is our CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY!" He also posted, "pray for me to succeed in my mission." The next day, he took the 45-mile drive from his Tomah residence to La Crosse. Once there, he told an acquaintance, "I'm here to kill the President, the usurper, tomorrow at his speech." The acquaintance called police, and the Secret Service shortly thereafter questioned Dutcher for two hours.

The court later described what happened next: