According to court documents on Thursday, a man from New Hampshire who was accused of endangering the lives of presidential contenders last year was discovered dead while the jury was deliberating on its decision.
Following a trial that started on Monday, the jury started deliberating the case against Tyler Anderson, 30, of Dover on Tuesday.
The attorney representing Anderson did not quickly respond to a message requesting comment. “The government has learned that the defendant is deceased,” according to a court filing. Upon learning of Anderson’s passing, the prosecution attempted to have the charge dismissed.
A federal grand jury accused Anderson in December on three charges of using interstate commerce to communicate threats. A maximum term of five years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $250,000 are stipulated for each charge.
The candidates’ names were withheld by the U.S. Attorney’s office. A representative for Republican contender Vivek Ramaswamy claimed that texts were intended towards Anderson’s campaign at the time of his detention.
Anderson was freed on December 14 after being detained on December 9. A federal judge imposed a number of requirements on his release, one of which was that he stay away from all presidential candidates and their political campaigns.
Read Also: Statewide Initiative Launched to Combat Illegal Fireworks in California
Anderson was also mandated to take all of his prescription drugs while undergoing mental health therapy.
Anderson received a text message from the candidate’s campaign alerting him to a brunch event in Portsmouth, per court filings. Two text messages were returned to the campaign personnel. Two threats were made: one to shoot the candidate in the head, and the other to murder everyone there and savage their bodies.
A snapshot of texts dated December 6 that threatened a mass shooting in response to an invitation to see a candidate “who isn’t afraid to tell it like it is” was included in a court document that was filed when Anderson was placed under custody. Chris Christie, a Republican, dubbed his gatherings “Tell it Like It Is Town Halls.”
