Man charged with governor death threat

SEATTLE – A Seattle man charged with threatening to kill Gov. Christine Gregoire has posted bond on $10,000 bail and is scheduled to go before a judge today.

Michael James Goodall pleaded not guilty to making threats against the governor, a class C felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. He has no prior criminal history.

Goodall was arrested June 20, five days after he was seen protesting near the downtown building where the state attorney general’s Seattle office is located.

During his protest, Goodall spoke to a passer-by and allegedly said, “I don’t care, I’m going to kill Christine Gregoire.”

The man immediately reported what he had heard. Five days later, State Patrol troopers went to Goodall’s home to question him. Goodall said he was protesting mishandling of a foster-care case by Gregoire, the state’s former attorney general.

Goodall previously had filed a multimillion-dollar claim against the state, saying Gregoire was unqualified to serve as governor because of an abuse case in a state foster home that he says occurred while Gregoire was attorney general.

When questioned about the death threat, prosecutors said Goodall told authorities he had used the word “kill” in a nonlethal way. His intent, he said, is to “kill” Gregoire with the truth. He said he had no intention of physically harming her.

“The governor is confident that the authorities will be handling this appropriately,” Gregoire spokeswoman Kate Lykins Brown said Wednesday.