Death Threats Against Gabbard Detailed in Court Documents
On Aug. 1, two days before Aniruddha Sherbow allegedly sent an email to Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard telling her he was going to cut off her head, authorities say he left a violent, profanity-laced diatribe on her cell phone.
The message, in no uncertain terms, was a death threat. Gabbard was told she would be tracked down, her face would be beaten into a pulp and then she would be killed.
If Sherbow is the one who actually left the voicemail, it helps bolster the federal government鈥檚 case against the former Maui resident, who is now charged with 鈥渢ransmission of threats in interstate commerce,鈥 a charge that carries a sentence of up to five years in prison.
Sherbow pleaded not guilty to the charge Friday morning during his first appearance in U.S. District Court in San Diego. He was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, on Tuesday in connection with the crime.
Authorities also unsealed the affidavit supporting the criminal complaint against Sherbow. It describes how Sherbow has been harassing Gabbard since February 2011, threatening her via email and telephone.
The document also reveals the voicemail Sherbow is believed to have left on Gabbard鈥檚 cell phone on Aug. 1, just days before the Aug. 3 email in which he vowed to 鈥渟ever her head from her body.鈥
According to the affidavit, Sherbow made the threats from Mexico while Gabbard was in Washington, D.C. Sherbow鈥檚 parents also confirmed to the U.S. Capitol Police 鈥 the agency that investigated the case 鈥 that it was his voice in the Aug. 1 message and that he was in fact the person who sent the Aug. 3 email.
The next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 12 to set bail and to determine how he will get to Washington, D.C., where further proceedings, including a trial, would be held.
You can read the affidavit here:
