COUNTYWIDE : Man Sentenced Over Threats to Officials

A two-time Thousand Oaks City Council candidate who claimed to be Christ has been sentenced to three years in prison for sending threatening letters to five public officials.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Storch sentenced auto body shop worker Norman (Blackie) Jackson, 36, on Friday for threatening to harm or kill then-County Supervisor Madge L. Schaefer, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), Thousand Oaks City Manager Grant Brimhall and state Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita).

Storch decided for a lighter sentence than the maximum of five years or the four years sought by Deputy Dist. Atty. Donna Thonis. With credit for the seven months Jackson has already spent in jail and time off for good behavior and work in prison, Jackson could serve less than 15 months in prison.

“More protection would have been afforded to the community had he gotten a longer sentence,” Thonis said, “because he would have had more opportunity for the psychiatric treatment he obviously needs.”

In the letters that he sent to public figures last July, Jackson signed his legal name and “Christ.” He campaigned as Christ in unsuccessful bids for a City Council seat in 1988 and 1989.

Jackson interspersed his threats with claims that he was chosen by God to become President of the United States and ruler of the world. According to court documents, he told sheriff’s detectives after his arrest that he wrote the threats to draw attention to a conspiracy by government agencies to prevent him from being elected to public office.

During his trial, Jackson repeatedly identified himself as Christ and denied that he was mentally ill. A jury found him guilty Jan. 19.

Two court-appointed psychiatrists who examined Jackson concluded that he was dangerous and might carry out his threats.