Michigan man charged with assaulting postal carrier over Kamala Harris flyer

Stopthatgirl7@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 390 points – Michigan man charged with assaulting postal carrier over Kamala Harris flyer
cbsnews.com

**(CBS DETROIT) — **A 61-year-old Farmington Hills man faces multiple criminal charges after he allegedly assaulted a female postal carrier Thursday evening upon receiving a flyer in the mail featuring Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Investigators say Russell Frank Valleau was allegedly upset about receiving the particular piece of mail and told the postal carrier that he did not want that "Black b****" in his mailbox. He's accused of yelling derogatory, racist and sexual remarks about Harris and the carrier, calling the postal carrier a "Black b****" and lunging at her with a knife. 

The postal carrier used pepper spray on Valleau to stop the attack. Farmington Hills police later arrested him in a neighbor's yard.

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I wouldn't want to see the orange bitch in my mailbox, but if I did I'd just throw it away, like a normal human being.

I'd probably draw on his face first because I'm a bit childish but yeah. What the hell is wrong with people?

In court: "It's my constitutional right to be racist, sexist, and derogatory!"

It totally is, but it's not their right to try to stab people.

Bear arms, not knife arms

So he could have ripped her apart with his claws but not with a knife? Seems a little nitpicky. What if he had just gotten his nails done?

Bear arms

The best he could manage was chicken arms.

Dem are complicated words my friend, not sure he can muster...

It certainly is; Otherwise that derogatory comment itself would be illegal.

Typical GOP publicity stunt to build a conservative fanbase. He must be planning to run for office.

Hopefully not for the post office

This guy is only mildly worse than DeJoy

Only a possible two years in prison for attempted murder?

Valleau was arraigned Friday on one felony count of ethnic intimidation and one misdemeanor count of assault and battery. He pleaded not guilty and was issued a $25,000 bond.

If convicted of ethnic intimidation, Valleau faces up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.

That doesn't include the misdemeanor assault charge. He's not being charged with attempted murder, it sounds like he brandished a knife and yelled slurs but didn't attack her.

The article language wry much makes it sound like attempted murder, "lunging at her with a knife" you don't hold a knife toward someone and rush toward them unless you're planning on stabbing them.

Neither I nor the article writer were there, so we don't know the exact motion, but the words of the article make it sound like attempted murder to me.

Prosecutors can amend charges, they are probably still collecting evidence to determine if they can prosecute a higher charge, which is when they'd bring in something like attempted murder.

I'm sure there is some legally restricting element like "a clear intent to kill" which would have to be demonstrated in court to have that charge stick.

Police and prosecutors often use extremely hyperbolic language in order to bolster their case.

Even if he lunges it's "just" assault, brandishing, terroristic threats. The dudes an idiot but that's not attempted murder.

Repubs are all lunatic terrorists in various stages of radicalization.

That's honestly probably a bit extreme, most are just greedy

Their word choice could be a little better but if you understand the various degrees of Nazism 1930s Germany, this kind of rings true. Most nazi party members weren't these dyed-in-the-wool SS types with full knowledge of the gas chambers; but they certainly conveniently looked the other way and enabled and benefited from it just the same. Naturally, many of these would continue to radicalize. Ignorance, greed, apathy, psychopathy, sure.... Varying amounts at the individual level — yet all volunteer to reside under the same unifying banner.

and told the postal carrier that he did not want that “Black b****” in his mailbox.

"That's okay, sir. I'm only authorized to put letters and packages in your mailbox. Bitches are forbidden to be put into mailboxes by federal law no matter what their color."

Imagine being 61 and still having zero idea how the mail works.

Also not sure why it popped into my head, but the thought of this man doing community service (like picking up trash on the side of the road) while a guard blasted "U.N.I.T.Y." by Queen Latifah over and over would just be amazing.

A bitch in the box is actually just a breaking bad themed jack in the box.

Charged with assaulting? He tried to kill a government worker with a knife.

Here's hoping this fuckin guy loses his right to vote.

No thanks. Disenchantment for convictions shouldn’t be the norm.

Can we agree that until it doesn't happen to anyone, it should happen to this guy?

And certainly to those who attack federal workers on the topic of elections. Seems like a nice ticket to the "no more politics for you" box

Wow what a big man. He sure showed Harris what for.

So.. will they keep him in pre trial confinement until after the election? Repubs owning the libs 1 vote at a time.. uh.. wait..

Is that one exclusive case or are there a lot of people who take a knife for murder at the needle drop?

Seems like the world went insane, and insanely fragile.

Investigators say Russell Frank Valleau was allegedly upset about receiving the particular piece of mail and told the postal carrier that he did not want that "Black b****" in his mailbox. He's accused of yelling derogatory, racist and sexual remarks about Harris and the carrier, calling the postal carrier a "Black b****" and lunging at her with a knife.

Completely normal behavior.

I added a reminder on Oct 8 to check this piece of shit's sentence. Hopeful that he serves time. Political violence is bullshit.

In the thumbnail, the gavel looks like it was manufactured by Tony Stark.

I'd never really thought about this, but I know felons can't vote, but what about if you are in jail awaiting charges? How does that work?

Just getting access to a ballot seems like a challenge. Don't you have to request an absentee ballot in advance? If you are in jail, you don't go to the polls obviously.

Did this guy just screw himself out of a vote?

Possibly. He probably could vote by mail if he thinks to request a ballot, but he might think he'll be out by election day, or he might not trust mail ballots thanks to the Fanta Menace demonizing them.

BTW, the thing with felons voting is state by state, so it's not a universal thing. Some states allow felons to vote once they've completed their sentence, and I think there's even a couple that allow felons to vote from prison.

Generally you need a final entry of judgment for that type of penalty to apply. So, you lose you’re franchise after sentencing. Absentee voting is possible, but most people are not held indefinitely in jail pending their court appearances.

Dude got his just deserts assaulting a mail curlier.

They ought to put him on a black list for the carrier's safety. No more service to his address.