TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Azya Thornton on Sep 16, 2024

An outside prosecutor is seeking a harsher sentence for a man charged with making threats against a judge, a federal building and other individuals. According to the Chattanoogan, Robert Edward Millsaps, who has a history of violent crime, is accused of threatening to bomb the courtroom of Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes as well as the federal building in Chattanooga. He also was charged with an act of terrorism and filing false reports. Local judges and prosecutors had recused themselves from the case so Bradley Sherman, a circuit court judge from Winchester, presided over the hearing last week. Millsaps is currently held on bond. ABA President Mary Smith noted this past spring that serious threats against judges have doubled since 2019, highlighting the growing concern for the safety of judicial officers.