[whell]

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man on trial for threatening to kill U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner cross-examined the Kansas Republican on Wednesday in federal court, with the congressman rejecting the defendant’s suggestions that he was conveying a message from God.

LaTurner was the last prosecution witness in the trial of Chase Neill, 32, from the northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence. Prosecutors contend that Neill, who is representing himself in court, became fixated on LaTurner and then made his threat in a June 5 phone message left after hours at LaTurner’s office in Topeka.

[B]Neill suggested Wednesday during his cross-examination of prosecution witnesses that he believes he is a “religious heir” whose message to LaTurner followed a tradition of Old Testament prophets following a duty of speaking for God and doing it as if they were God themselves. In questioning LaTurner, Neill asked whether it was reasonable for Neill to identify himself in his voicemail as the son of God.

“I thought the whole voicemail was unreasonable, especially the death threat parts,” LaTurner replied.

Neill acknowledges that he left the voicemail message in June telling LaTurner, “I am saying that I will kill you,” but argues that his use of the phrase “act of God” in the same message means he was forwarding a message from God, not himself.

https://apnews.com/article/topeka-ka...85eb20279317a0