Man Committed to Psychiatric Hospital for Tweeting Death Threats to Chief Beck

A man charged with making criminal threats against Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck has been committed to a state psychiatric hospital, authorities confirmed today.

Norman Jose Valerio, 52, was found incompetent to stand trial at a hearing at the mental health court earlier this month and ordered to be transferred from the Twin Towers Correctional Facility to Patton State Hospital. Valerio allegedly threatened shoot the chief and stalk his children.

During his arraignment Sept. 2, Valerio’s attorney called him “just a guy who sputters at people he’s angry at” and said the “chief of police is not my client’s focus.”

TMZ reported that Valerio was accused of using Twitter to threaten to kill the chief, his family and other police officers.

City News Service