Capitol Riot Defendant Held Over Threat to Barrett's Life

A Nevada man awaiting trial on charges that he stormed the US Capitol has been jailed after being accused of making threats directed at Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and other public officials. Bradley Scott Nelson's "escalating rhetoric" is grounds for detaining him until a hearing, a federal magistrate judge in Maryland ruled Tuesday. In July, US District Judge John Bates revoked Nelson's pretrial release and issued a warrant for his arrest. Bates is scheduled to preside over a hearing next Wednesday on whether to hold him until his trial on charges stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by supporters of then-President Trump, the AP reports.

Magistrate Judge Charles Austin's order outlines the threats that Nelson is accused of making this year, in social media posts and other statements. Authorities said Nelson last month posted an image of Attorney General Merrick Garland with apparent crosshairs drawn on Garland's head. In June, officials said, Nelson threatened Barrett approximately one hour after the Supreme Court issued a ruling limiting the application of a federal obstruction law used to charge hundreds of Capitol riot defendants as well as Trump. Barrett cast a dissenting vote in that case. Nelson said he hoped that somebody would cut her throat "from ear to ear," according to the magistrate's order.

In February, Nelson is accused of posting an image of New York Attorney General Letitia James with crosshairs on her head, and he profanely expressed a desire to see her "head explode, or at least the back of her head blowout." That same month, a New York judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties in a civil fraud case brought by James' office. Nelson, a long-haul truck driver, also is accused of posting videos in which he expressed hatred for two FBI agents assigned to his Jan. 6 case, per the AP. An attorney who represents Nelson in his Capitol riot case declined to comment. Nelson's jury trial is scheduled for Dec. 10.

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