A California woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for issuing a death threat against a federal judge in Texas.
The case is yet another reminder of how political violence—too often excused, ignored, or downplayed by the Left—has become a dangerous feature of American life.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, 46-year-old Dolly Patterson admitted she transmitted an interstate threat against a federal judge in Amarillo in April 2023.
Her message, submitted online, read: “Tell that anti-abortion judge he better watch his back . . . for the rest of his life!”
Federal prosecutors emphasized that Patterson’s intent was clear: she wanted her threat to be perceived as genuine, and she fully understood that it crossed the line into criminal behavior.
The court handed down the maximum statutory penalty—five years in prison. Federal officials were blunt in their assessment.
“The safety of our federal judiciary is paramount,” Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson said.
“Threats of violence to our judges are becoming all too common—whether made online or in person. Such threats are illegal and will be prosecuted.”
This sentencing shines a light on a broader problem. Political intimidation, harassment, and violence are increasingly tolerated in progressive circles.
From protests that devolve into riots to personal threats against judges, politicians, and law enforcement officers, the pattern is consistent: when the Left doesn’t get its way, it often resorts to violence.
Judges in particular have become targets of anger from activists who view the judiciary not as a neutral arbiter but as an obstacle to their political goals.
Hellbound and Down 