Watch CBS News

Mistrial For Man Accused Of Threatening O'Malley

TOWSON, Md. (AP) -- A Baltimore County judge has declared a mistrial in the case of a Parkville man prosecutors say threatened Gov. Martin O'Malley in an e-mail.

Walter Abbott's mistrial came Wednesday. It was his second trial in the case in Baltimore County Circuit Court.

He was convicted in 2008 of sending a threatening e-mail and received a suspended sentence of six months in prison and two years of probation. In the e-mail, Abbott, 47, threatened to "strangle the life" from O'Malley.

However, last year, Maryland's second-highest court threw out the conviction, ruling that the Baltimore County judge failed to define "threat" for the jury or to tell jurors how to determine if the e-mail constituted a threat.

Prosecutors say no decision has been made about whether to retry Abbott a third time.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.