WATERFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut man charged by state police with threatening Gov. Ned Lamont on Twitter said Tuesday that his words were being blown out of proportion and that he had no intent to harm anyone.
Troopers arrested Jonathan Wright, 41, of Waterford, on a second-degree threatening charge Monday in connection with an Oct. 23 tweet posted in reply to a tweet by Lamont. He posted $30,000 bail and was ordered to appear in New London Superior Court on Nov. 29.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Wright was upset because he heard government leaders put COVID-19 patients into nursing homes, which had sickened elderly residents, and he wanted officials to be held accountable.
“You are scum living on borrowed time,” Wright’s tweet said. “President Trump knows what you did to the elderly Covid patients that were sent to nursing homes. All is known and you will meet your maker courtesy of a noose and a trap door. Treason=DEATH.”
Wright said in a phone interview Tuesday that what he meant was Lamont, a Democrat, should be charged in the criminal justice system and if found guilty should get capital punishment.
“I just said something stupid and it’s being blown way, way out of proportion,” Wright said. “I had no malicious intent. I didn’t want the governor to die. Does that (the tweet) sound like I’m going to do it? People don’t walk around with nooses and a trap door. … This is an absolute nightmare.”
Wright said he is an Air Force veteran who has never been arrested before. He said he believed the charge will be dropped when he tells his side of the story to a judge.
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