Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Probation for Intimidating Emails to Chief Justice
A resident of Racine, Wisconsin, Ryan Thornton, has been sentenced to probation after initially facing a felony charge for stalking the state’s Supreme Court Chief Justice, Jill Karofsky. The charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement in which Thornton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of intimidating a victim and disorderly conduct.
According to court documents, Thornton, 37, sent a series of emails to Justice Karofsky last fall. These messages accused her of being manipulative and requested that she step down from her position. Thornton also inquired about her home address, actions that led Karofsky to fear for her safety, to the extent that she requested police escorts during public events.
Defense attorney Anthony Jurek communicated via email that motions were filed arguing that the charges infringed upon Thornton’s right to free speech and that his bail of $85,000 was disproportionately high. The plea deal was offered by prosecutors on the condition that Thornton withdraw these motions.
The court has sentenced Thornton to a two-year probation period, during which he is prohibited from contacting Justice Karofsky and entering Dane County, where Madison and the state Supreme Court are located, unless approved by his probation officer for justifiable reasons.
Thornton expressed his discontent with a legal representative from a previous case in 2019, alleging that the Office of Lawyer Regulation failed to investigate the attorney. His frustration led him to contact the office over 70 times in a span of two months.
In a public statement, Justice Karofsky condemned the intimidation she faced as a result of performing her judicial duties, emphasizing the importance of security for the effective functioning of the judiciary. “A court cannot carry out its constitutional role if the people inside the courthouse do not feel secure,” she stated. “Judicial independence survives only when the law — not politics, threats, or violence — guides our courts.”
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