Man guilty of threatening governor

Defense attorney Arthur Frank told jurors that his client's threat to kill O'Malley was "a figure of speech" - similar to children's idle threats that they'd like to kill their teacher for giving too much homework or former Maryland first lady Kendel Ehrlich's comment in 2003 that she would like to shoot Britney Spears for being a bad role model for young girls.

The lawyer also said the e-mail was no different than a sign hung on the fence outside the Abbotts' home. It reads, "Deport illegals. Imprison Bush. By order of the American people."

"If you believe it's a legitimate threat, then find him guilty," Frank told jurors in his closing argument. "But if you believe it was an act of frustration, that he was trying to get the attention of the governor, that he could not have made good on such a threat, then he's making a political statement."

But prosecutor Leo Ryan Jr. countered that "it is a serious matter" and that Abbott's intent was irrelevant.

"It's the making of the threat that violates the law," the prosecutor said.

Jurors took an hour to convict Abbott. Judge Dana M. Levitz sentenced him to six months in jail, suspending that sentence. He also ordered him to serve two years' unsupervised probation, pay a $500 fine and stay at least 500 feet away from the governor and his wife.

Earlier in the day, Abbott refused a plea offer of probation before judgment. His lawyer said his client was confident in his innocence and didn't want such a finding to keep him from getting work in the future.