Man gets probation in threats against judge, court

Published: September 10, 2008 05:30 am ShareThisPrintThis
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Man gets probation in threats against judge, court
By Julie Manganis
Staff writer

SALEM - A Danvers man admitted yesterday that he threatened to kill a judge and a lawyer and blow up the Salem District Court last February.
George Frost Jr., 52, was frustrated over a series of civil small-claims cases involving bills he says his father ran up in his name, when he made the threats to a constable on Feb. 8, said his lawyer, William Martin, during a hearing in Salem District Court.
Frost, of 116 Collins St., admitted that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him on two counts of threatening to commit a crime.
Judge Marianne Hinkle, who was specially assigned to hear the case, agreed to continue the two charges without a finding for 18 months, provided Frost complies with several conditions, including writing letters of apology.
Those apologies will be sent to Judge Michael Uhlarik and Salem attorney Walter Powers.
Powers, who handles debt collection cases, had been on the other side of a civil lawsuit brought by one of Frost's creditors. During a hearing in February, Powers told the judge, Uhlarik, that Frost was unable to make any payments on the debt.
But Frost was apparently frustrated that he had to make any payments at all, contending that the debts were racked up by his elderly father. The father and son have been estranged since George Frost Sr. was convicted of manslaughter in the death of his wife decades ago, Frost's lawyer told Hinkle in a sentencing memorandum. Frost Sr. served part of a 20-year prison term, Martin said.
When an Essex County sheriff's deputy showed up with yet another civil court order, Frost lost his temper. He called the deputy sheriff and told him he wanted to kill the judge and the lawyer. "I have done jail time before, and I don't care if I do life in prison," Frost told the deputy sheriff.
If Frost stays out of further trouble with the law and obeys all of the other conditions of his probation, which also includes an order that he have no contact with either Powers or Uhlarik, the charges will be dismissed in 18 months.
Prosecutors had previously dropped civil rights and bomb-threat charges against Frost.
The case was assigned to Hinkle because of concerns that judges who routinely sit in the courthouse Frost threatened to blow up could be perceived as having a bias in the case.