CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Kanawha County circuit judge is for the first time providing details about threats on her life.
Judge Maryclaire Akers spoke to MetroNews Thursday following the sentencing of Matthew Newsome.
Newsome, 29, of Charleston, was sentenced by Kanawha County Circuit Judge Duke Bloom to 3 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty last month to three counts of retaliation of a public official. Newsome told others he was going to kill Akers after she sentenced him to 1-3 years in prison last October for violating his supervised release in connection with another crime.
Akers said Newsome’s threats, which he made more than once, were very specific.
“He was going to kick in my door, use chloroform on me, take me to a location that he had in mind and cut me up,” Akers said.
Newsome went on to say that he planned on sewing Akers back together, watch her run and then slit her throat.
Akers said she was less concerned about her own safety and more concerned about how Newsome was trying to impact the judicial system.
“This was an attempt to manipulate the court system and I believe retaliate against a judge for doing her job,” Akers said.
Akers, who spent more than 20 years as a prosecutor, said she’s had her share of threats over the years but she considered this one different.
“It’s someone who wanted to harm a judge for doing her job. It’s something that I’ve swore an oath on the Bible to do and I’ll continue to do no matter what threats are made or attempts are made or anything like that,” Akers said.
Bloom told Newsome what he did cannot be taken lightly.
“I think your threats are very serious and they have to be taken seriously and we need additionally to make sure you’re not available in the near future (to make additional threats),” Bloom said.
Newsome apologized to Akers during Thursday’s hearing.
“I understand what I did was extremely wrong,” Newsome said. “I cannot take back the words that I said about the Honorable Judge Maryclaire Akers but I do, however, wish to apologize,” Newsome said. “What I did was ignorant. It was completely unorthodox of me.”
Bloom sentenced Newsome to three consecutive 1-10 year prison terms. Newsome’s attorney had asked Bloom to run the sentences concurrently but the judge refused.
Newsome will begin serving his new term after the 1-3 term is completed. He’s currently in Huttonsville State Prison.
Kanawha County Assistant Prosecutor Adam Petry said what Newsome did was inexcusable.
“What Judge Akers had ruled on does not give him the right to go and threaten a judicial officer. It undermines our entire jurisprudence,” Petry said.
Bloom told Newsome that he hopes his apology was sincere and that he takes his time behind bars to work on his behavior.
“So that when you get out you can be a different person and not be such a hothead and make outlandish remarks,” Bloom said.
Akers said she was thankful for Bloom’s sentence and thankful for those who initially reported the threats.