Thread: Woman threatens to harm Bentley over immigration law

Woman threatens to harm Bentley over immigration law

montgomeryadvertiser.com
Written by Jill Nolin
12:47 AM, Oct. 22, 2011

A Jasper woman, who says her fiance is an undocumented alien, could face up to five years in prison for threatening the life of Gov. Robert Bentley because of the immigration bill he signed into law in June.

Tiffany R. Morales, 38, is accused of calling Bentley's office at 8:25 a.m. Sept. 29 and telling a member of his staff to relay this message: "Tell the governor he has a bullet with his name on it."

The call was made the day after a federal judge ruled that key provisions of Alabama's immigration law, including a part that makes it a state crime to be in Alabama unlawfully, could go into effect.

Morales was taken into custody Oct. 1 and charged with "threatening certain state officers," which is a felony offense that applies to specified high-ranking state officials.

Morales appeared before Montgomery County District Court Judge Sharon Yates on Friday for a preliminary hearing, which Morales waived.

Yates denied Morales' request to reduce her bond from $15,000 to $10,000, and then ordered that Morales undergo a mental evaluation.

Phone records were used to track the call back to Morales, and when she was questioned, she admitted making the call. Her attorney, Samuel Masdon, argued Friday that his client has medical problems and a nervous condition, and that she should not be seen as a threat.

"She is not a direct danger to anyone. She can be a pain in the neck, I'm sure -- she should not have said what she said or done what she did -- but this is not a dangerous person," Masdon said in court.

"I just hope this matter would not become over-politicized," Masdon said, adding that he hopes no one would attempt to "attach on the merits or demerits of the (immigration) law."

Daryl Bailey, who is prosecuting the case, said the defendant's motivation for making the threat is not the issue.

"To me, it doesn't matter why she called. It's the fact that she called and threatened the governor of the state of Alabama's life, which is clearly against the law," Bailey said in court.

"The governor of Alabama is sworn to protect the people of this state, and it's a shame that he cannot go about doing his business without his life being threatened and having to worry about threats to his life," Bailey also said in court.

The 5-foot-tall defendant became emotional during the hearing Friday and was hushed by her attorney when she attempted to repeatedly speak out of turn. Bailey noted that her fiance had fled, leaving Morales on her own. Morales said, "That's not true. I have letters."

Attempts to find out the current whereabouts of Morales' fiance were unsuccessful Friday, but he told investigators that he was "out of here" and that he was leaving Morales. It does not appear that the fiance is being questioned under Alabama's new immigration law, which has been heralded as the toughest in the country.

When contacted for comment, Bentley's press secretary, Jennifer Ardis, said his office would offer no comment on the case.

"That's a pending legal case, and I think the facts kind of speak for themselves," Ardis said Friday afternoon.

Bailey argued in court Friday that the bond amount for Morales should not be reduced because of the severity of the crime, her criminal history and her lack of ties to the community. Bailey also noted that Morales has gone by seven different aliases, a fact Yates said she found troubling.

Morales is unemployed because of a disability, leaving her to rely on Social Security, and is "not on medicine but needs to be," Masdon said in court.

Morales pleaded guilty to menacing in 2002 after attempting to pull out a knife to stab a deputy in front of another deputy in Tallapoosa County. She also has been convicted in the past of felony theft and has a pending theft charge in Tallapoosa County.

Morales, also known as Deanna Milam, has faced other charges in the past, such as a 2004 cruelty to animals charge and a third-degree assault in 1999, but those charges were dismissed, according to court records.

If found guilty of threatening certain state officers, Morales could face a five-year prison sentence and/or as much as a $1,000 fine.

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Bailey noted that her fiance had fled, leaving Morales on her own

Yea, no green card in this deal... I'm gone

Morales pleaded guilty to menacing in 2002 after attempting to pull out a knife to stab a deputy in front of another deputy in Tallapoosa County. She also has been convicted in the past of felony theft and has a pending theft charge in Tallapoosa County.

Morales, also known as Deanna Milam, has faced other charges in the past, such as a 2004 cruelty to animals charge and a third-degree assault in 1999, but those charges were dismissed, according to court records.

Oh, she meant what she said... AND she deserves the 5 years in prison.

Deport her with him. Seems she is a violent criminal.

Wherever there is porobably would not let her in she is a criminal.