CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A judge in neighboring Hamilton County has publicly criticised prosecutors after a man accused of threatening to kill him and his family was charged with only a misdemeanor.
The case centres on 24-year-old Xavier Jackson, who is accused of making threats against a judge and his “whole family.”
Despite the severity of the alleged threats, court records show Jackson is facing a single charge of aggravated menacing — a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of up to six months in jail if convicted.
The judge at the centre of the case said he is “very disappointed” in how the prosecutor’s office handled the situation.
A bench trial in the case is scheduled to begin Tuesday morning in Hamilton County Municipal Court.
The case has raised questions about how threats against members of the judiciary are investigated and charged — particularly when family members are also targeted.
