Van Nuys Man, 76, Convicted for Threats Against Judges

Despite testifying that he was never serious, a 76-year-old former bodybuilder from Van Nuys was convicted Tuesday of attempted extortion for sending a letter threatening to kill three Van Nuys Superior Court judges.

A jury deliberated for less than two days before finding Rex Revelle, who said he was Mr. America in 1952, guilty on two counts of attempted extortion and one count of threatening a public official.

The jury deadlocked on two additional charges of threatening judges with intent to carry out the threats.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Sally Lipscomb said she will not decide whether to retry Revelle on those charges until Revelle is sentenced March 2. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Neither Revelle nor his attorney, Deputy Public Defender Patrick Thomason, could be reached for comment.

Lipscomb said Revelle was upset with the way Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Stephen D. Petersen was handling a civil matter in which Revelle was involved last summer.

On July 17, 1992, Revelle handed Petersen’s court clerk a letter with a newspaper article that mentioned the killing of judges and wrote: “That’s what happens to tyrants. I wonder who will be next.”

During the two-day trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, Revelle testified that the letter was not intended to be a threat, but simply a way to vent his anger at the way Petersen had handled the case. Lipscomb said she did not know the nature of the lawsuit.

Revelle was also convicted of mailing a letter July 16, 1992, to state Atty. Gen. Daniel E. Lungren in which he threatened to kill three judges. The jurists were not identified, but Lipscomb said the threat was intended for three Van Nuys judges who had also handled cases involving Revelle.

The three judges are Richard Kolostian, Thomas Schneider and Alan Haber.

Revelle had testified that a friend had mistakenly mailed the letter, which Revelle said he had never intended to send.

Over the prosecutor’s objection, Revelle was allowed to remain free on his own recognizance.

Lipscomb said Revelle appeared agitated with the verdict, and said she was concerned about the safety of the threatened judges.

“This is a man who indicated he still lifts weights, and is in no way frail,” she said. “Mr. Revelle was very agitated, and I am concerned that the judges should know that he is still out on his own recognizance. In my opinion, they should still be careful.”

The judges could not be reached for comment.