During the trial of the man who killed 11 people inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh last year, police apprehended a self-proclaimed “reverend” of the white supremacist movement on Thursday for making threats against the jury. The threats were made in connection with the trial.
Hardy Carroll Lloyd, age 45, was apprehended without incident and charged with witness tampering, interstate and international transmission of threats, and obstruction of justice in relation to claims made against him.
During the trial of Robert Bowers, it is alleged that Loyd wrote emails and posted threatening comments on social media platforms to the individuals serving as jurors and witnesses in the case. Bowers had already been sentenced to death one week prior to his arrest.
On the 17th of May, Lloyd allegedly sent an email to several media sites in which he said, “Remember, jurors, we WILL be watching and we WILL be taking pictures of ALL cars and people who leave the courthouse.” This is stated in the affidavit that was provided. It is stated in the paper that Lloyd said it was “100% LEGAL” to photograph and monitor the witnesses and jurors throughout the trial.
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It has been stated that antisemitic stickers were put in largely Jewish areas of Pittsburgh, and Lloyd is suspected of helping this effort as well. On the stickers, one of the phrases said, “It’s okay to be white.” On one of the stickers, there was a swastika depicted.
According to the allegations included in the affidavit, some of Lloyd’s tweets advocated for the physical assault of Jewish people. It is stated that he warned that “consequences will be enacted” in the event that Bowers was not freed.
In the aftermath of Lloyd’s arrest, the United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld made the following statement: “Jury trials are a hallmark of the American justice system, and attempts to intimidate witnesses or jurors will be met with a strong response.” It is very upsetting that racial threats were used in an attempt to sway a trial.
On the morning of October 27, 2018, Bowers opened fire at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during morning Shabbat services. In June, he was found guilty on all 63 charges that were connected to the massacre at the synagogue by a federal jury.
If Lloyd is found guilty of all of the charges against him, he faces the possibility of spending up to 20 years in prison for tampering, 10 years for obstruction, and 5 years for threats.
