Metro

Lawyers for man who ‘threatened’ pols on Facebook mull plea deal

WHITE PLAINS — Lawyers were given a month Wednesday to discuss potential plea bargains in the case of a man accused of making death threats on Facebook against some of the nation’s best-known politicians.

The possibility of a deal was raised in federal court by Jason Ser, attorney for defendant Lawrence Mulqueen.

Mulqueen is accused of threatening the lives of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Charles Schumer, Rep. Nita Lowey and members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Police found two rifles and other weapons in his Nanuet apartment.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Ser asked Judge Kenneth Karas for time to familiarize himself with the evidence against Mulqueen and to discuss “a possible disposition of the case.” The judge set April 18 for another conference.

Outside court, Ser said that while Mulqueen is entitled to a trial, “It’s my job to give my client all the options available to him,” including pleading guilty to some charge.

Mulqueen, 49, is charged with threatening federal, state and local officeholders and with making the threats on an online social network. He could be sentenced to as many as 15 years in prison if convicted.

Ser would not say whether plea-bargain discussions were already under way.

Herb Hadad, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office, would not comment.

In the federal complaint against Mulqueen, investigators said he wrote on Facebook that the politicians’ “dirt nap is coming very soon.”

“I cannot wait to start killing the scum,” it quoted Mulqueen as saying.

The indictment does not name the targets, but police listed the politicians’ names when Mulqueen was arrested last month.

He faces a state weapons charge in addition to the federal charges.