Came across an interesting case of Jack Eugene Carpenter arrested in 2023 for making a threat to injure another person. The threat was a post on Twitter stating “I’m heading back to Michigan now threatening to carry out the punishment of death to anyone that is jewish [sic] in the Michigan govt if they don’t leave, or confess.”
The case is interesting since it involves various belief systems, including sovereign citizen ideas, conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and QAnon.
He was recently declared incompetent to stand trial and by all accounts that is right on point. The psychologist found that Carpenter suffers from delusional disorder and is not competent to stand trial.
Carpenter’s life “spiral[ed] out of control” after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From court records: “Carpenter believed that Pfizer, the maker of a COVID-19 vaccination, “was a nation state with military bases and was either associated or controlled by [the] Israeli government who had also infiltrated the United States government.”
“Carpenter began “expos[ing]” Pfizer on social media and came to believe that Pfizer was targeting him and viewing him as a “considerable threat.” Carpenter ultimately lost his job at the University of Michigan for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. Carpenter claims that he used his IT knowledge to examine the source code [*8] of a QAon website, which confirmed that “Pfizer, with its ties to Israel, had infiltrated the United States government” and developed a “character assignation [sic]” plot against Carpenter. Carpenter “grew fearful that his life was in danger.”
Id. He believed that Pfizer planted posts online attributed to him as part of a plan to kill him and make it look like he was a sex offender who committed suicide. Following this discovery, Carpenter left Michigan and began traveling around the country, believing that he needed to keep moving to remain safe.
Carpenter wanted the police to “open an investigation into what was happening to him,” so he drove around with expired license plates and voluntarily presented at police stations, but he was advised that law enforcement could not help him. After the FBI became aware of Carpenter’s tweets threatening Jewish officials in Michigan, they located and arrested Carpenter in Texas. Id. at 4. According to Dr.’s findings, “Carpenter harbors a complex delusional system that involves a belief he is being individually targeted for exposing that the COVID-19 vaccine was being used illegally,” and “Carpenter is preoccupied with these beliefs and has no insight into his mental illness.” The Dr. reported that “while suspicious and guarded,” Carpenter nevertheless “almost spoke nonstop about the vaccine, being individually targeted for refusing the vaccine, and those whom he felt were responsible.” The Dr. found it difficult to redirect Carpenter, “as he was fixated on grandiose and persecutory delusional ideas.”
In addition, he has challenged the jurisdiction of the court, and filed other sovereign citizen-type motions.
Will update as new information becomes available.