Supreme Court of Connecticut
State of Connecticut v. Michael Pelella
October 10, 2017327 Conn. 1
Summary
The court held that imminence or immediate execution is not a requirement for a statement to constitute an unprotected true threat; it is only one factor in evaluating the statement's seriousness and likelihood of execution. The court also held that, on a pretrial motion to dismiss for insufficient evidence, the evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to the state, and that the record permitted a jury to find the defendant's statement was a true threat. The judgment dismissing the charges was reversed and the case was remanded with direction to deny the motion to dismiss.