Threats Against Lawmakers Resulting in Charges

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers receive a steady stream of harassing phone calls, e-mails and letters, according to the U.S. Capitol Police. Many threats are investigated and some result in criminal charges.

Democratic Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot and seriously wounded in Tucson Saturday.

Following are some threats in the past year against lawmakers that resulted in prosecutions:

March 2010 - A Pennsylvania man was arrested and charged with threatening to kill Virginia Representative Eric Cantor, the No. 2 Republican in the House. Norman LeBoon was initially declared incompetent to stand trial by a federal judge but he later pleaded guilty to two counts and is due to be sentenced in February.

April 2010 - A San Francisco man was arrested and charged with making threatening, harassing and obscene phone calls to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the debate over healthcare reform, which eventually became law. Gregory Lee Giusti was accused of making at least 48 calls to Pelosi. He pleaded guilty in September and sentenced to 21 months in prison.

April 2010 - A Washington man was arrested and accused of threatening to kill Democratic Senator Patty Murray because of her votes to back the healthcare reform legislation. Charles Wilson was accused of making the threats against the senator in voicemail messages at her office. Wilson pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced in October to a year in prison and three years of supervised release.