An Alaska man, Panos Anastasiou, has been indicted on charges of sending racist and violent threats to the six Supreme Court justices and their family members. Federal prosecutors are requesting that he be kept in custody until trial due to the graphic threats, which escalated after he was questioned by the FBI. Anastasiou has pleaded not guilty to charges of threatening to assault, kidnap, and murder the justices and their families.
The messages, numbering over 465, were sent through the high court’s public website between March 10, 2023, and July 16, 2024. They became increasingly menacing in January, including threats of assassination and lynching towards the justices. The messages also contained racial, homophobic, and misogynistic slurs, with some specifically targeting a Black justice, believed to be Clarence Thomas.
An attorney for Anastasiou has not responded to the allegations. Prosecutors argue that he should remain in custody due to the risk of further threats against federal officials and the potential for violence. They claim that the evidence against him is overwhelming, as he admitted to sending the messages, his IP address links to his home, and his name is in the email address used to send the threats.
Anastasiou is expected to appear in court for a detention hearing, where the issue of his custody pending trial will be decided. Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the importance of public officials being able to perform their duties without fear for their lives or their families’ safety.
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