Trial moved for NJ blogger accused of threats

[September 09, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- The trial for a blogger accused of threatening three Chicago-based federal judges has been moved from Illinois to New York.

U.S. District Judge Donald Walter issued the order Tuesday, saying that holding Hal Turner's trial somewhere other than Chicago "would best serve not only justice but the appearance of justice."

The 47-year-old North Bergen, N.J., man had said in Internet postings in June that three federal appeals judges "deserve to be killed" because they had refused to overturn handgun bans.

The posting also referred to the February 2005 slayings of the mother and husband of Chicago-based federal Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow.

In moving the trial to Brooklyn, Walter noted the "widespread media coverage" of those slayings.

[Associated Press; By MIKE ROBINSON]

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