Man Gets 12 Years Over Threats to South Park Duo

A Muslim convert from Brooklyn was sentenced today to nearly 12 years in prison for posting online threats against the creators of the South Park television show and others he deemed enemies of Islam. The sentence—largely in line with the term sought by prosecutors—came after Jesse Curtis Morton, 33, offered an apology for his conduct, saying he "contributed to a clash of civilizations" by espousing a violent ideology.

"I justified atrocities by Muslims simply because they were carried out by the weak against the powerful," said Morton, who founded the now-defunct Revolution Muslim website. He and another defendant, Zachary Chesser, used the website to deliver thinly veiled threats against South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker for depicting Muhammad in a bear costume. Chesser earlier received a 25-year sentence, but he also tried to travel to Somalia to join the al-Shabab terrorist group. (More South Park stories.)