A Lynchburg man has been arrested and charged with threatening the life of Jerry Falwell Jr.
Berkley Carter Mills, 56, of the 600 block of Reusens Road was charged Wednesday with making threats of death or bodily injury via The News & Advance Web site.
According to an affidavit filed in Lynchburg Circuit Court by Liberty University Police Department Detective Craig Sasser, Falwell noticed the comments on Sunday filed under the screen name “Freedom.”
The comments were made in reaction to a story about a Liberty University voter registration drive encouraged by Falwell.
In them, Mills stated his objection to Falwell’s and the university’s political involvement and called the university chancellor a tyrant.
“i,m really concern for him and liberty because you are advocating WAR !!THIS IS WAR !!,” Mills wrote. “i hate to see people getting shot/killed /kidnapped and a bulet in the back of the head and left at the parkway.”
According to Sasser’s affidavit, Mills admitted to sending the message.
Falwell said he was in his office reading the Web site when he came across the comment.
“That’s not something you expect to see,” he said.
He said he has not heard from police as to whether Mills is an actual threat, “but you never know. That’s why I called LUPD.”
Falwell said there is a long history of credible threats against his late father and against the family.
Mills was released from jail Wednesday night on a $10,000 secured bond under the special condition that he “must avoid contact by any means whatsoever with Jerry Falwell Jr.” and that he does not make any communication whatsoever to or about Falwell.
In a phone interview Thursday, Mills said he felt as if his First Amendment rights were violated by the arrest.
He said he was angry that Falwell encouraged Liberty students who do not live here full time to vote. Mills said he felt that could swamp the city’s voter registrar and out-vote regular city residents.
“He is acting like a tyrant. Our flag says ‘death to tyrants,’” he said. “He’s tampering with our basic right to vote.”
But, he said, his online statement was made in the third-person and was not a direct threat.
“I’m not that stupid,” he said.
Mills also said that he is a convicted felon, and can’t legally own a firearm. He also cannot vote.
He is charged with a Class-6 felony, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 8.
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