Man arraigned on charges he threatened Reid

Thursday, June 13, 2002 | 9:30 a.m.

A Las Vegas man has been indicted on allegations that that he mailed letters that threatened the lives of four members of Congress, including Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Milton Thomas Black is named in the five-count indictment that charges mailing and faxing threatening communications from October to December of 2001.

According to a previously filed criminal complaint, Black sent letters addressed to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., in which he complained about being ignored by government officials.

In one letter addressed to Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a threat was made against Reid and CNN host Larry King.

The letter read, "I have been abused by all of you. I'm not going to murder Nazi Republicans to help you more. I'm going to murder all of you liberals."

Black allegedly complains in the letter that no one would pay attention to information he had on the JonBenet Ramsey homicide case.

Black reportedly ended the letter by threatening to douse Reid with gasoline, just like Clint Eastwood's character did in the movie "High Plains Drifter," according to the letter.

Black was arrested at a Las Vegas motel in January and is federal custody without bail.