The case against white supremacist blogger Hal Turner has been transferred to a division of state court that handles more serious matters.
The New Jersey man appeared in court earlier last month, accused of urging violence against to two Connecticut lawmakers, telling his readers and listeners to "take up arms."
Turner did not appear in Hartford Superior Court on Tuesday and his attorney, Matthew Potter, said his client remains in federal custody.
Potter says it's uncertain whether Turner will be able to attend a July 28 hearing in Connecticut. Turner has not yet made a plea.
The Internet radio host has also been accused of using his Web site to threaten three federal judges in Chicago.
His words in this latest case are targeted toward three Chicago-based appeals judges who refused to overturn handgun bans, prosecutors said. "Let me be the first to say this plainly: These judges deserve to be killed," Turner wrote in an Internet posting. The judges had earlier refused to overturn local ordinances banning handguns.
The post also included a map of the federal courthouse where the judges are based. The posting stated a map showing the judges' homes would later be added.
Turner's arrest stemmed from a complaint filed in federal court in Chicago. "We take threats to federal judges very seriously," said U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
