Man Charged For Computer Threat

A college student was charged Thursday with posting computer messages describing the binding, rape, torture and murder of a woman who used to be in his class.

“Torture is foreplay, rape is romance, snuff (killing) is climax,” prosecutors say one of Jake Baker’s messages read.

The 20-year-old student was charged with the federal crime of transmitting a threat to injure. He was jailed pending a bond hearing Friday.

Baker, who was suspended from the University of Michigan last week, told reporters he was within his rights to post the messages on the worldwide web of computer networks called the Internet. By posting the messages, other Internet users would have access to them.

“I haven’t harmed anyone,” he said before he was led away. “I think it is a violation of my First Amendment rights and probably several other rights.”

If convicted, Baker could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.