Posted on 09/15/2024 9:15:51 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A Jefferson County man with a lengthy criminal history has been convicted of soliciting the murder of federal prosecutor in Birmingham.
The federal jury on Thursday found Michael Roman Black, 32, guilty of threatening to murder and soliciting the murder of a federal prosecutor, and for making false statements to a federal agent, according to a Friday announced by Acting Middle District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Davidson.
0:12 / 0:30 Middle District prosecutors tried the case since the threat was against a prosecutor in Birmingham.
Black, who has had addresses in Bessemer and Hueytown, was previously convicted in state court on a reduced charge of manslaughter in the 2011 shooting death of an 18-year-old in Bessemer. He was also 18 at the time.
According to court records in the federal case, Black in February 2023, was jailed in Hoover after federal charges were brought against him by the Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is in Birmingham.
Black was being held on drug and gun charges.
While in custody, authorities said, Black told another inmate about his plan to have one of the federal prosecutors working on his case murdered by two associates “on the outside.”
Black shared specific details of who he planned to contact and that he would have them shoot the prosecutor while she was in her car.
Law enforcement learned of this threat and, after confirming its legitimacy and seriousness, developed an operation to successfully thwart the murder plot.
When questioned by federal agents, Black made false statements in an attempt to cover up his plan.
On March 28, 2023, a federal grand jury in Birmingham indicted Black for making a threat to murder a federal official, solicitation to commit murder, and making false statements to a federal agent.
“A threat against a prosecutor or law enforcement professional is a serious offense and a direct attack against our system of justice,” Davidson said. “I am grateful for the diligent work of law enforcement in identifying and thwarting this plot to take the life of a public servant simply seeking justice for the people of the United States.”
Black faces a sentence of up to 10 years for threatening to murder a federal official, up to 20 years for soliciting a murder, and up to five years for making a false statement to a federal agent.
His sentencing is set for Dec. 12.
The DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the ATF, Hoover police and Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Geer, III from the Middle District of Alabama is prosecuting.
Black in 2011 was charged with murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Luman Jones. He pleaded guilty in 2014 to the reduced charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
It was not immediately clear how many years he actually served.
Black, who also has previous convictions for burglary and drug possession, is still facing charges in state court as well.
>> The federal jury on Thursday found Michael Roman Black, 32, guilty of threatening to murder and soliciting the murder of a federal prosecutor...
Black he is!
The real question is: What was the Alabama federal prosecutor doing in jail?!
/sarcasm
Seriously, why not instead write:
Jailed man (guilty in shooting death) convicted of arranging Alabama federal prosecutor’s murder
?
Regards,
I knew a prisoner who did this exact thing. He was inside on a 2 to 5 for pandering and decided to put a hit out on the county prosecutor who got him convicted. With something like 10 days before he was to be released on his sentence he was arrested at the facility and was charged with conspiracy to commit murder on the prosecutor. I saw him again 15 years later after his security level dropped down enough to get transferred back to my facility. Reading his case file I found out that the guy he “hired” to do the hit was an undercover state trooper. He still had 5 to go on his minimum at that point.
CC
I’m surprised that al.com didn’t blame it on Trump.
Ain’t that the truth!
Rag isn’t even worth the digital paper it’s not written on. Can’t even use it on my bird cage unless it print it out first!
There is no limit to the stupid. I have no idea why it never occurred to this brain dead waste of carbon NOT TO RUN HIS MOUTH about planning a hit. Your chances of getting found out go up asymptotically with the number of people you blab to.
The chance of being snitched out goes through the roof in prison. Everybody is looking for a way work off their sentence.
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