Florida woman charged for death threats against Kamala Harris
Niviane Petit Phelp says she was "angry at the time" Harris became vice president, going as far to question if she was really Black, according to a complaint
A Miami woman has been charged for allegedly threatening the life of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
“Niviane Petit Phelps knowingly and willfully made threats to kill and inflict bodily harm upon the Vice President of the United States in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 871,” from Feb. 13 through Feb. 18, according to CNN‘s report of the complaint.
Special Agent David Ballenger was made aware of a threat to kill the Vice President on March 3, noted by the complaint. Phelps sent the threats (including photos and videos obtained by a Secret Service special agent assigned to the case) to her spouse, an inmate at Wakulla Correctional Institution, by way of an app called JPay that allows civilians and the incarcerated to share media.
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“The videos (that are of relevance to this investigation) generally depict Phelps complaining and speaking angrily to the camera about her hatred for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, among others,” read the complaint. “However, in these videos, Phelps also made statements about killing Vice President Harris.”
In one of the videos, “Phelps stated: ‘Kamala Harris you are going to die. Your days are numbered already,” the complaint continued.
In a Feb. 18 video, Phelps said, “I’m going to the gun range. … I swear to God, today is your day you’re gonna die. 50 days from today, mark this day down […],” and a photo dated two days later shows Phelps at a shooting range, according to the complaint, which also stated “On February 22, 2021, Phelps applied for a concealed weapons permit.”
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The Secret Service and detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department made an effort to interview Phelps at her home on March 3, but she refused. Two days later, Phelps complained that her employer put her on administrative leave, according to the complaint.
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The Secret Service finally established contact with Phelps at her home on March 6, per the complaint, when she said, “She was angry at the time about Kamala Harris becoming Vice President but that she is ‘over it now.’ Phelps expressed how she believes Kamala Harris [is] not actually ‘Black’ and how during inauguration Kamala Harris disrespectfully put her hand on her clutch purse instead of the bible. Phelps continued saying that somebody told her that America is going to choose who they choose, so Phelps had put her rage about the Vice President aside. Phelps stated that she is now ‘past it.”
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