Sender of Internet Threats Expected to Plead Guilty

Man accused of writing hateful letters expected to plead guilty

Zanesville Times Recorder Thu, 15 May 2008 3:45 AM PDT

CLEVELAND - A man accused of writing racially hateful letters to blacks, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is expected to plead guilty in federal court Thursday.

David Tuason, 46, of the Cleveland suburb of Pepper Pike, is accused of writing threatening letters over two decades, often targeting black men seen with white women.

Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Edwards and Donna Grill, an assistant public defender representing Tuason, say they expect him to enter a plea agreement admitting to charges of transmitting threatening interstate communications and mailing threatening communications.

Authorities say FBI agents found Tuason a few months ago when he started sending messages via e-mail instead of U.S. mail.

The letters dated back to the late 1980s, seemed to stop in the early 1990s, but started again later that decade.

Letters and e-mails described in the charges contain threats of violence based on racial hatred. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor and actor Taye Diggs were among those believed to have been targets.

According to the April 9 indictment, Tuason sent a letter to the Supreme Court on July 25, 2003, addressed to an associate justice of the court referred to as "CT." The indictment only used the initials of victims.

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