State Rep. Rhonda Fields and the former IT executive charged with sending her a series of racially and sexually offensive e-mails could come face to face in a civil courtroom Friday morning, when Fields will seek a permanent protection order against him.
Franklin Sain, who was charged in February with harassment involving ethnic intimidation and attempting to influence a public servant, told Denver police he sent Fields, D-Aurora, six e-mails filled with profanity and sexual and racial epithets and left similar voice mails between Feb. 13 and 15.
Police also believe he sent Fields an unsigned, threatening letter that said: “I keep my 30 Round Magazines There Will Be Blood! I’m Coming For You!” which his attorney has repeatedly denied.
Fields obtained a temporary protection order against Sain, of Colorado Springs, in the days after he was charged. Her attorney Craig Silverman last week sought to have it made permanent. Siddhartha Rathod, who represents Sain, filed a motion asking a judge to dismiss the request, saying Sain’s comments represent protected political speech and not a true threat.
Silverman said in court filings this week that Sain likely wrote the threatening letter but destroyed the evidence — an iPad and a company computer — on which it was typed. Rathod said his client voluntarily relinquished the iPad to Denver police after it was run over and broken and that several printers linked to Sain have not matched the typed letter. He said detectives have collected no DNA or fingerprints from the letter despite their efforts.
Sadie Gurman: 303-954-1661, sgurman@denverpost.com or twitter.com/sgurman
Free speech should not give you the right to threaten someone’s life. (allegedly)Representative Fields is one of the bravest and kindest people you will ever meet. What happened to the world where we just agreed to disagree? Now we threaten people, insult people, and sometimes worse, we actually physically harm people when there is a difference of opinion. I personally do not agree with everything the Representative brings to the State House table but I know she is a good, decent, selfless person because I know her personally. After all she has been through; how dare this person treat her in such a demeaning way! (allegedly) It use to be fun to disagree and attempt to prove your point. Now even a comment referencing an online article with your opinion brings name calling or occasional threats (usually harmless) when someone’s perspective is different than your own. I hope this guy learns his lesson once his punishment is handed down. It is my opinion his freedom of speech argument will not work. Just my opinion.