Benton County inmate allegedly threatened to chop up judge

A career criminal allegedly threatened to chop a Benton County judge into pieces after the inmate found out he had to wear restraints at all future court hearings.

Brandon L. VanWinkle made the statements to his now-former attorney two weeks after he attacked a child abuser in the jury box because he disagreed with the man’s receiving a short sentence, according to court documents.

When Alexandria Sheridan informed her client in the jail that prosecutors asked for increased security, VanWinkle said he would “chop (Judge Alex Ekstrom) up in his chambers” if the request was granted.

VanWinkle added that he “wouldn’t even clean it up.”

His threats, which also included threats to Sheridan and Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts, frightened his lawyer and led her to tell a Benton County sheriff’s detective she believed her client was capable of following through on them, court documents said.

VanWinkle, 37, originally was charged in Benton County Superior Court with felony harassment of a criminal justice participant.

However, Deputy Prosecutor Brendan Siefken — who’s now handling VanWinkle’s cases — recently upgraded it to the rarely used charge of intimidating a judge.

Siefken said the charge, which carries a standard range of almost 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 years, does not require the threat be made directly to the judge.

All seven of the bicounty court’s judges reportedly are excusing themselves from handling the case, so court administrators will need to find an outside judge.

VanWinkle has pleaded innocent, and his trial is March 28. He is set to face a jury the week before on the third-degree assault involving the courtroom confrontation.

VanWinkle has eight felony convictions on his criminal record. He repeatedly has claimed that he is Jesus Christ, and he can do whatever he wants because it is his world.

His last incarceration in the state system was for spitting on a corrections officer in the Benton County jail. He was mad at the time about being moved to a different cell for damaging jail property and spitting and throwing urine on other inmates.

VanWinkle was arrested last November for allegedly possessing methamphetamine. During a December hearing, he lunged at the other defendant, hit him at least once, threatened to kill him and yelled, “Welcome to the Lord’s house, b----,” court documents show.

Ekstrom was on the bench that day and ordered the courtroom cleared until officers got control of VanWinkle.

VanWinkle wasn’t yet charged in the courtroom assault when he met with Sheridan on Dec. 30 and learned that in addition to handcuffs, he had to start wearing leg shackles and a belly chain in court.

VanWinkle then threatened the deputy prosecutor, saying he was “going to nail that b---- to the desk with a nail gun,” documents said.

He also told Sheridan that he would need a witness at trial to vouch for him and, when she denied his request, threatened “you will do as you are told.”

Corrections officers who were standing nearby said Sheridan appeared shaken as she ended the meeting, documents said.

VanWinkle’s meth case has since been dismissed by prosecutors because the deputy did not establish probable cause in a telephonic affidavit for a search warrant.

VanWinkle also is trying to get his assault case tossed out.

The charge falls under a 2013 amendment to the law on assaults of people in a courtroom, jury room, judge’s chamber or a corridor or waiting area.

It only applies when court is in session or the room is being used for other judicial purposes, and signage must be “prominently displayed” at any public entrance informing people of the possible enhanced penalties.

Attorney Karla Kane Hudson has argued that there are no signs on the entrances coming from the jail into the courtroom that tell inmates that an assault in a courtroom is a felony.

Judge Cameron Mitchell denied the dismissal request because the law doesn’t require that actual notice be given, just that signs be posted at public entrances.

The deputy prosecutor said VanWinkle’s new defense attorney told him to expect another challenge, possibly questioning the constitutionality of the law.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 8:06 PM with the headline "Benton County inmate allegedly threatened to chop up judge."