A death threat is a threat, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or group of people. These threats are often designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behaviour, in which case a death threat could be a form of coercion. For example, a death threat could be used to dissuade a public figure from pursuing a criminal investigation or an advocacy campaign.
In most jurisdictions, death threats are a serious type of criminal offence. Death threats are often covered by coercion statutes. For instance, the coercion statute in Alaska says:
A person commits the crime of coercion if the person compels another to engage in conduct from which there is a legal right to abstain or abstain from conduct in which there is a legal right to engage, by means of instilling in the person who is compelled a fear that, if the demand is not complied with, the person who makes the demand or another may inflict physical injury on anyone....[1]
Methodsedit
A death threat can be communicated via a wide range of media, among these letters, newspaper publications, telephone calls, internet blogs[2] and e-mail. If the threat is made against a political figure, it can also be considered treason. If a threat targets a location that is frequented by people (e.g. a building), it could be a terrorist threat. Sometimes, death threats are part of a wider campaign of abuse targeting a person or a group of people (see terrorism, mass murder).
Named after a high-profile case, Osman v United Kingdom, Osman warnings (also letters or notices) are warnings of a death threat or high risk of murder issued by British police or legal authorities to the possible victim. They are used when there is intelligence of the threat, but there is not enough evidence to justify the police arresting the potential murderer.[4]
^"Sec. 11.41.530. Coercion. – The Alaska Legal Resource Center". www.touchngo.com.
^Blog death threats spark debateBBC News retrieved September 30, 2007
^"18 U.S. Code § 871 - Threats against President and successors to the Presidency | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute". www.law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2015-08-13.
^"Beds is one of nation's 'death-threat capitals' - News". Bedford Today. 2008-06-13. Retrieved 2012-04-29.[permanent dead link]
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Death threats.
The Forensic Linguistics Institute
February 16, 2024
death, threat, group, death, threat, group, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, written, like, personal, reflection, personal, essay, argumen. For the hip hop group see Death Threat hip hop group This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article is written like a personal reflection personal essay or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style February 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Death threat news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message A death threat is a threat often made anonymously by one person or a group of people to kill another person or group of people These threats are often designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behaviour in which case a death threat could be a form of coercion For example a death threat could be used to dissuade a public figure from pursuing a criminal investigation or an advocacy campaign A threatening note that was left in the mailbox of Holyoke Massachusetts Mayor Edwin A Seibel in 1955 Contents 1 Legality 2 Methods 3 Against a head of state 4 Osman warning 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksLegality editIn most jurisdictions death threats are a serious type of criminal offence Death threats are often covered by coercion statutes For instance the coercion statute in Alaska says A person commits the crime of coercion if the person compels another to engage in conduct from which there is a legal right to abstain or abstain from conduct in which there is a legal right to engage by means of instilling in the person who is compelled a fear that if the demand is not complied with the person who makes the demand or another may inflict physical injury on anyone 1 Methods editA death threat can be communicated via a wide range of media among these letters newspaper publications telephone calls internet blogs 2 and e mail If the threat is made against a political figure it can also be considered treason If a threat targets a location that is frequented by people e g a building it could be a terrorist threat Sometimes death threats are part of a wider campaign of abuse targeting a person or a group of people see terrorism mass murder Against a head of state editIn many governments including monarchies and republics of all levels of political freedom threatening to kill the head of state or head of government such as the sovereign president or prime minister is considered a crime Punishments for such threats vary United States law provides for up to five years in prison for threatening any government official especially the president 3 In the United Kingdom under the Treason Felony Act 1848 it is illegal to attempt to kill or deprive the monarch of their throne this offense was originally punished with penal transportation and then was changed to the death penalty and currently the penalty is life imprisonment Osman warning editNamed after a high profile case Osman v United Kingdom Osman warnings also letters or notices are warnings of a death threat or high risk of murder issued by British police or legal authorities to the possible victim They are used when there is intelligence of the threat but there is not enough evidence to justify the police arresting the potential murderer 4 See also editAssassination Bomb threat Coercion Contract killing Extortion Garda Information Message in Ireland Murder Terroristic threat Witness intimidationReferences edit Sec 11 41 530 Coercion The Alaska Legal Resource Center www touchngo com Blog death threats spark debate BBC News retrieved September 30 2007 18 U S Code 871 Threats against President and successors to the Presidency US Law LII Legal Information Institute www law cornell edu Retrieved 2015 08 13 Beds is one of nation s death threat capitals News Bedford Today 2008 06 13 Retrieved 2012 04 29 permanent dead link External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Death threats Judiciary Criminal Charges The Forensic Linguistics Institute Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Death threat amp oldid 1197865139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
