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	New Britain Man Charged with Making E-mail Threats By Christopher Keating The Hartford Courant March 19, 2009 http://www.courant.com/community/news/nb/hc-arrest-mcdonald-threat.artmar19,0,6939223.story [with video] A New Britain man was charged Wednesday in connection with an e-mailed threat against two Democratic legislators over a controversial bill on the Roman Catholic Church. Timothy Kane, 26, was charged with second-degree harassment in connection with the e-mail that was sent at 9:12 p.m. on March 10, Capitol police said. The charge is a misdemeanor. On the following day, the police were told that an e-mail containing "an alarming statement" had been received by state Sen. Andrew McDonald and state Rep. Michael P. Lawlor — the co-chairmen of the legislature's judiciary committee. The two chairmen had been involved with a committee bill that would have changed the legal, financial, and administrative structure of parishes within the Catholic Church. The bill was withdrawn after an outcry that brought about 3,500 people to the Capitol. The police began an investigation, identified the sender, and submitted an affidavit for an arrest warrant to prosecutors in Hartford, according to a statement released by Richard Segreto, a spokesman for the Capitol police. "The statement in the e-mail made reference to the residences of the two legislators, insinuating retaliation for their position on Senate Bill 1098 pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church, along with other derogatory statements," Segreto said. Kane was arrested Wednesday by Capitol police under a warrant that had been signed by a Superior Court judge. He posted bail of $500 and was released, pending arraignment at Superior Court in Hartford on March 27. Issues surrounding the Catholic Church and gay marriage have been heated at the Capitol in recent years, and have sometimes led to threats. A person was arrested several years ago for making threats against Dr. Marie Hilliard, the longtime chief lobbyist for the Catholic Church at the state Capitol. The threat and the arrest received little attention at the time.
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