CHICAGO—Self-proclaimed white-supremacist William A.
White was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison for soliciting
violence to the foreman of a federal jury in Chicago that convicted
another white supremacist, Matthew Hale, in 2004. White stood trial in
Chicago in January 2011 and was convicted by a jury of one count of
solicitation.
“No doubt the experience was extremely frightening for the juror,” U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, of Milwaukee, who imposed the sentence, said in reference to the Hale jury foreman who was the victim of White’s violent solicitation.
Judge Adelman, who was assigned to preside over the case in federal court in Chicago, ordered White to serve the sentence consecutively to all but a little more than a month remaining on a federal sentence that White is currently serving for making threats to other victims and intimidating a witness in Virginia. White’s prior sentence totaled 43 months and is scheduled to end in early April.
Initially, Judge Adelman dismissed the 2008 indictment against White, but a federal appeals court in Chicago reinstated the solicitation charge in 2010. After White’s trial in January 2011, the judge overturned the jury’s guilty verdict, but the government appealed and White’s conviction was reinstated, leading to today’s sentencing. White’s prior sentence stemmed from a December 2009 trial conviction by a federal jury in Roanoke.
“This defendant has been prolific in making threats to people,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Ferrara told Judge Adelman today in arguing for a consecutive sentence instead of White’s request for time served.
The evidence at White’s Chicago trial showed that after Matthew Hale was tried, convicted, and sentenced for soliciting the murder of a federal judge in Chicago, White solicited his followers to retaliate against the foreman of that jury. White created and maintained a former website, Overthrow.com, which was publicly accessible on the Internet. The website purported to be affiliated with the American National Socialist Workers Party (ANSWP) and claimed the organization was composed of a “convergence of former [white supremacy] ‘movement’ activists who grew disgusted with the general garbage that ‘the movement’ has attracted and who formed the ANSWP under the Command of Bill White.” Members of the ANSWP were described as “National Socialists...who fight for white working people.”
Between September 11 and October 11, 2008, White used the website to solicit anyone to injure Juror A on account of Juror A’s role as the foreperson of the jury that convicted Hale, the leader of a white supremacist organization known as the World Church of the Creator. Hale was sentenced to 40 years in prison for soliciting the murder of a federal judge in Chicago.
As part of White’s solicitation of violence against Juror A, White posted derogatory comments and personal information about Juror A, including Juror A’s home address and phone numbers, on the Overthrow.com website on September 11, 2008. The solicitation occurred under circumstances strongly corroborating White’s intent that another person use, attempt to use, or threaten the use of force against Juror A.
White was aware that individuals associated with the white supremacist movement, who were the target audience of his website, at times engaged in acts of violence directed at non-whites, Jews, gays, and persons perceived by white supremacists as acting contrary to their interests. Prior to the solicitation against Juror A, White on multiple occasions caused postings to the website that disclosed what purported to be the home address and/or personal identifying information of individuals who were targets of criticism on the Internet.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ferrara and William Hogan. The sentence was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“No doubt the experience was extremely frightening for the juror,” U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, of Milwaukee, who imposed the sentence, said in reference to the Hale jury foreman who was the victim of White’s violent solicitation.
Judge Adelman, who was assigned to preside over the case in federal court in Chicago, ordered White to serve the sentence consecutively to all but a little more than a month remaining on a federal sentence that White is currently serving for making threats to other victims and intimidating a witness in Virginia. White’s prior sentence totaled 43 months and is scheduled to end in early April.
Initially, Judge Adelman dismissed the 2008 indictment against White, but a federal appeals court in Chicago reinstated the solicitation charge in 2010. After White’s trial in January 2011, the judge overturned the jury’s guilty verdict, but the government appealed and White’s conviction was reinstated, leading to today’s sentencing. White’s prior sentence stemmed from a December 2009 trial conviction by a federal jury in Roanoke.
“This defendant has been prolific in making threats to people,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Ferrara told Judge Adelman today in arguing for a consecutive sentence instead of White’s request for time served.
The evidence at White’s Chicago trial showed that after Matthew Hale was tried, convicted, and sentenced for soliciting the murder of a federal judge in Chicago, White solicited his followers to retaliate against the foreman of that jury. White created and maintained a former website, Overthrow.com, which was publicly accessible on the Internet. The website purported to be affiliated with the American National Socialist Workers Party (ANSWP) and claimed the organization was composed of a “convergence of former [white supremacy] ‘movement’ activists who grew disgusted with the general garbage that ‘the movement’ has attracted and who formed the ANSWP under the Command of Bill White.” Members of the ANSWP were described as “National Socialists...who fight for white working people.”
Between September 11 and October 11, 2008, White used the website to solicit anyone to injure Juror A on account of Juror A’s role as the foreperson of the jury that convicted Hale, the leader of a white supremacist organization known as the World Church of the Creator. Hale was sentenced to 40 years in prison for soliciting the murder of a federal judge in Chicago.
As part of White’s solicitation of violence against Juror A, White posted derogatory comments and personal information about Juror A, including Juror A’s home address and phone numbers, on the Overthrow.com website on September 11, 2008. The solicitation occurred under circumstances strongly corroborating White’s intent that another person use, attempt to use, or threaten the use of force against Juror A.
White was aware that individuals associated with the white supremacist movement, who were the target audience of his website, at times engaged in acts of violence directed at non-whites, Jews, gays, and persons perceived by white supremacists as acting contrary to their interests. Prior to the solicitation against Juror A, White on multiple occasions caused postings to the website that disclosed what purported to be the home address and/or personal identifying information of individuals who were targets of criticism on the Internet.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ferrara and William Hogan. The sentence was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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