THOUSAND OAKS : Ex-Candidate Pleads Innocent to Charges
A former Thousand Oaks City Council candidate who has claimed to be Christ pleaded innocent in Ventura County Superior Court on Thursday to threatening the lives of public officials.
Norman (Blackie) Jackson, 35, was arrested Tuesday night after he allegedly sent threatening letters to County Supervisor Madge L. Schaefer, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), Thousand Oaks City Manager Grant R. Brimhall and state Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara).
Jackson, who ran unsuccessfully for the council in 1988 and 1989, was being held Thursday in Ventura County Jail on $100,000 bail.
According to Lt. Joe Harwell of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, investigators believe Jackson sent up to 20 threatening letters to public officials on the federal, state and local levels. He has been charged with five counts of making terrorist threats, Harwell said.
In each of the letters, Jackson “threatened bodily injury and death,” he said.
“We consider it serious when someone sends a letter threatening injury,” he said. In addition, Jackson “feels he is Christ. Any time a person has that feeling it adds to the potential of the threat.”
Authorities said the letters to the public officials were signed “Christ.” Jackson said he was Christ while running for the council last year, authorities said.
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