James Comey Turns Himself For Posting Threat To Kill Pres. Trump
JAMES B. COMEY TURNED HIMSELF IN FOR HAVING STATED THAT A DEATH THREAT IN
Threatening to kill the sitting U.S. President is a serious federal felony.
By SyndicatedNews.NET | SNN.BZ
The Law: The primary statute is 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) (Threats against President and successors to the Presidency). It criminalizes knowingly and willfully making any threat to take the life of, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm upon the President (or President-elect, Vice President, etc.). This covers direct statements, writings, posts, or communications that a reasonable person would interpret as a serious threat.
- Penalties: Up to 5 years in federal prison, fines (up to $250,000), and supervised release. It is a Class D felony.
- A related charge often applies: transmitting a threat in interstate commerce (e.g., via social media like Instagram), which carries similar penalties.
- The Secret Service investigates all such threats, regardless of who makes them. Prosecution requires proving the statement was a “true threat” (not protected political hyperbole, jest, or vague rhetoric under First Amendment standards from cases like Watts v. United States and Virginia v. Black).
Application to James Comey
Comey was indicted in late April 2026 in the Eastern District of North Carolina on two counts:
- Violating 18 U.S.C. § 871 (knowingly and willfully threatening to take the life of or inflict bodily harm on President Trump).
- Transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.
The basis is a May 2025 Instagram post (later deleted) showing seashells arranged as “86 47” on a North Carolina beach. Prosecutors argue:
- “86” is slang for “get rid of,” “remove,” or (in some contexts, like restaurant/mob slang) “kill.”
- “47” refers to Trump as the 47th President.
- A reasonable recipient familiar with the context would see it as a serious expression of intent to harm Trump.
Comey has stated he viewed it as a political message (not a call to violence), removed it quickly when interpretations arose, and denies any intent to threaten. Legal experts widely describe the case as challenging for prosecutors due to First Amendment protections for political speech, potential claims of selective/vindictive prosecution, and questions over whether it qualifies as a “true threat.”
Overall Seriousness
- Very serious in principle: These laws exist to protect the President and national stability. Even ambiguous or coded threats can lead to arrests, Secret Service interviews, and charges. Many ordinary people have received prison time for far more explicit online or verbal threats.
- In practice for high-profile cases like this: Enforcement can be politically charged and faces high hurdles in court, especially when intent and interpretation are disputed. Not every investigated statement results in conviction.
In short, the crime itself carries real prison time and is treated as a major federal offense. Comey’s specific case is now before the courts, where the outcome will depend on whether prosecutors can prove it crossed from protected speech into an actionable threat.
