Watts v. United States (1968)
- Docket
- 1107 MISC
- Decided
- 1968-01-01
Summary
Question: Was Watt's statement a legitimate threat within the meaning of the statute? Conclusion: No. In a per curiam opinion, the Court concluded, without hearing arguments, that Watts' statement was "political hyperbole". The Court noted, "The language of the political arena… is often vituperative, abusive, and inexact." Thus, considering the "context, and regarding the expressly conditional nature of the statement and the reaction of the listeners," the Court ruled that Watts' statement was not a true threat.