Man accused of Obama threat to be extradited to Utah

Published Monday, June 8, 2009 | 12:05 p.m.

Updated Monday, June 8, 2009 | 6:11 p.m.

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Man who threatened president arrested in Laughlin (6-6-09)

A man arrested Friday night in Laughlin accused of making statements threatening President Barack Obama at a southwestern Utah bank has been detained in federal custody and will be sent to Utah to face charges.

Daniel James Murray, 36, was arrested about 7 p.m. Friday in the parking lot of the Riverside Hotel and Casino in Laughlin by Metro Police and federal agents.

Murray appeared Monday in federal court in Las Vegas, where he was held under a protective intelligence investigation for threatening the president. He will be sent to Utah to face federal charges. He faces a possible sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Murray's father said Monday that his son is mentally ill and needs treatment.

"I'm not sugarcoating it, because you don't threaten the president of the United States," Michael Murray told The Associated Press by telephone from Clifton Park, N.Y., where he lives.

Murray did not resist authorities who arrested him.

At Zion First National Bank in St. George on May 19, Murray asked if the bank was solvent and predicted that citizens would lose their money, a warrant issued Thursday said.

Eight days later Murray returned to the bank and asked to withdraw $12,000, but he did not have proper identification, the Secret Service said in court documents. He is then alleged to have said that if he didn't receive the money, someone would die. At that point a bank manager allowed tellers to give him cash in bills smaller than $50, as he had requested.

As a teller counted the money for him, Murray said that "We are on a mission to kill the president of the United States," a warrant said.

He returned to the bank a day later and withdrew another $72,000 and closed his account, the warrant said.

Obama was in Las Vegas, about 120 miles southwest of St. George on May 26-27. There is no information on whether Murray was also in Las Vegas during the president's visit. Obama appeared at an evening fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at Caesars Palace on May 26 and visited a solar power grid at Nellis Air Force Base the next day.

In the warrant, Murray is said to have eight guns registered to him.

Murphy's father said his son used to own several guns, but said he believed he had gotten rid of them before he began moving to different states.

"We are hoping that he gets the appropriate treatment. He doesn't accept the fact that he's mentally ill," Michael Murray, a retired Los Angeles County fire captain, said.

Michael Murray characterized his son's illness as "basically schizophrenia" and expressed frustration that he did not appear to improve after treatment at psychiatric centers in upstate New York. The father said his son stopped taking medication for his condition about three years ago.

Daniel Murray served 30 days this year in the Saratoga County, N.Y., jail on a misdemeanor charge for damaging a vehicle, his father said. Michael Murray lost contact with his son in March after he sold his New York home.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Discussion: 9 comments so far…

By davidwayneosedach

6/8/09 at 1:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

What I don't understand is if he made the threats in Salt Lake City why did they wait until he got to Laughlin to pick him up? He could of got away. He could have tried to carry out his threat.
By Auslander

6/8/09 at 2:37 p.m.

Suggest removal

Sounds like this guy forgot to take his meds. (Assuming he has them...)
By Mike123

6/8/09 at 2:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

The way I understand it, they were looking for him for a MONTH!

My guess is that they didn't give this kooks threats a whole lot of credibility.
By Mike123

6/8/09 at 4:20 p.m.

Suggest removal

For starters, as soon as he said "if I don't get this money, someone is going to die" the bank employees should have hit the hold up alarm.
By Mike123

6/8/09 at 5:05 p.m.

Suggest removal

Makes sense now-he's been in the nuthouse 8 times for being schizo.
By jaesun

6/8/09 at 5:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

can i have his money?
By LasVegas2009

6/8/09 at 9:24 p.m.

Suggest removal

Been in the nut house and owns guns? Wow take all his guns away for good.
By Dirk

6/9/09 at 4:13 a.m.

Suggest removal

Eight guns registered to him? Great country.
By GunslingerA10

6/9/09 at 5:26 a.m.

Suggest removal

Isn't that something, A man walks into a bank, asked for his money, they tell him no, he gets indignant; they gave him some of his money ($12,000 in bills smaller than $50's), without proper ID no less. So let me understand this, they gave him money anyway, from who's account then if they didn't know who he was. He returns for the rest of his money, closes his account because of poor service and goes to Las Vegas for a good time vacation.

Now the bank say's, he-said-they-said, do they have it on tape; I hear a law suit coming. That Bank is just using the system to exact punishment, just out of spite that he closed his account, what an evil bank, and to think it has a name like Zion, what an oxymoron.

Ten dollars to a doughnut, he could have borrowed any amount against his account and paid interest to them and they would all have been laughing about anything he may have said. The bank officers may have even said a thing or two under their voice siding with him, just one big fest, but withdraw that much money and it is like the pulling the trains emergency brake cable. Hold on a minute, we are a credit society, you are not allowed to walk around with that much money, my #@%*, use a banking instrument and pay us to use it. Banking rules as they are require anyone withdrawing or depositing any amount in excess of $4,000 to be reported to the IRS, I believe it was $10,000 prior to 9-11 (need ref.). Casino's have similar rules, now, which require reporting any pay-out over $2,000 (need ref).

Bottom Line, everyone is easy to take your money, just not easy to give it back.