From the Classroom  
By Raymond Hill  
Professor Emeritus, Santa Rosa Junior College 

We’ve probably all seen news coverage of threats against public officials in the past few years. California law provides guidance about these cases in terms of what is considered a threat and which public officials are protected by these code sections. 

As an introduction, let’s review a recent case decision (Peo. v. Hupp, 4DCA, #E079389, 10/25/23). The defendant communicated multiple threats by phone and letter to four Riverside County judges. One communication stated that if the judge didn’t expedite court procedures, he (the defendant) would show up on a judge’s home doorstep. He called the judges derogatory names and told one judge “it would be the mistake of (the judges) motherfucking life because there will not be a rock on the face of the earth that this little bitch will be able to hide under.” He was convicted of four counts of violating 69 P.C., threats against executive officers. 

In a case of “first impression,” meaning no precedent, the 4DCA ruled that “executive officer” unambiguously refers to an officer in the executive branch, not the judicial branch.” Thus, the defendant’s convictions must be reversed.  

Circumstances may arise where a threat is made against you ....