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Man Accused of Threatening Sen. Murray Released From Jail

The man accused of making death threats against Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) was released from jail Friday after posting a $20,000 bond.

Charles Alan Wilson, 63, had been in custody since the FBI arrested him Tuesday. According to the Yakima Herald-Republic, at a court hearing Friday, a U.S. Magistrate judge determined — over the objection of prosecutors — that the retired carpenter is not a flight risk.

Prosecutors accuse Wilson of leaving threatening voice mails at Murray’s Seattle office between March 22 and April 4 that referenced her support for health care reform legislation. He is charged with one count of threatening a federal official.

The case is being moved from Yakima, Wash., to Seattle, where Wilson is scheduled to make an appearance on April 21. He has not yet entered a plea.

Until then, he faces an overnight curfew from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. and has been ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. He is also prevented from drinking alcohol and possessing firearms and cannot attend political rallies or contact public officials.

FBI agents seized three firearms from Wilson when they arrested him Tuesday.

Matt McAlvanah, a spokesman for Murray, told the Associated Press that the Wilson case will not disrupt the Senator’s schedule. She appeared in Spokane on Friday, skipping a fundraiser in Seattle for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who, like Murray, is up for re-election this year.

Murray “has complete confidence in Washington law enforcement officials, and will keep working for the people of Washington state,” McAlvanah said.

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