Man sentenced for threatening police officer

MAN SENTENCED TO 60 DAYS IN JAIL

Threatening to kill a police officer and his entire family has netted a 38-year-old man some time in jail.

The officer was responding to a complaint Sept. 22 when he found Justin White Cow causing a drunken disturbance. White Cow began threatening the officer and said he would go to the officer’s home and kill his family while he slept. Then he would slowly kill the officer while looking into his eyes.

White Cow pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lethbridge court to one count of uttering threats and was sentenced to 60 days in jail.

Crown prosecutor Vaughan Hartigan said police generally have “pretty thick skin” and deal with a lot of drunks in their line of work, but they shouldn’t have to put up with threats against them and their families.

White Cow, 38, had also uttered threats Sept. 18 while he was outside a local business. While highly intoxicated he yelled and threatened patrons as they entered the building. He also said he was going to burn down the building.

Later the same month he was found intoxicated downtown, contrary to a court order that he abstain from alcohol, and a couple of days after that he and another individual were at the Lethbridge shelter where they attacked and punched a man in the sleeping area. Then on Oct. 3 police, who were responding to a complaint, found White Cow in a downtown park once again intoxicated.

White Cow pleaded guilty to additional charges of assault, uttering threats and breaches, for which he was sentenced another month in jail. He was also placed on probation for nine months and ordered to stay away from the business he threatened to burn down.

Lawyer Claudia Connolly told court White Cow consumes a lot of alcohol, and generally drinks from the time he arises until he passes out. And when asked by the judge if he remembers threatening the officer, he said, “not really, no.”

Although sentenced to a total of three months in jail, White Cow was given credit for the equivalent of 14 days spent in pre-trial custody, leaving him with 76 days to serve.

Follow @DelonHerald on Twitter