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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 05, 2022 | The Indian Eye 22

Man charged with stalking and threatening

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal

OUR BUREAU er time. He said his only bias against
Jayapal was her political beliefs and
Washington, DC her status as a democrat, according to
A court documents.
49-year-old man in the US
has been charged with felony
Forsell told FBI agents he re-
stalking, weeks after he was ar-
gan setting up a tent on the other side
rested for standing armed with a pistol turned to Jayapal’s property and be-
outside Pramila Jayapal’s home and of the road from her house. He also
yelling expletives like “Go back to In- said he had been drinking that night
dia” while threatening to kill the Indi- and he struggled with mental illness,
an-American Congresswoman. according to court documents.
The King County Prosecutor’s The Seattle man described his
Office requested USD 500,000 in bail, actions toward Jayapal as a “manifes-
claiming the defendant, Brett Forsell, tation of a manic episode,” the report
is “likely to commit a violent offense if said. he video given to investigators by
free in the community,” according to Williamson captured two voices yelling
court documents as reported by PTI. expletives in front of Jayapal’s home,
Forsell was charged on Wednes- including one comment including the
day. He allegedly told investigators word “India,” but investigators could
he would return to Jayapal’s home not be sure whether or not it was For-
as soon as he is released. Forsell sell’s voice making that comment, ac-
was armed with a .40 caliber Glock cording to court documents.
semi-automatic pistol with a live round Another voice could be heard
in the chamber while outside of the “telling Pramila to kill herself,” but the
representative’s home, according to voice did not sound like Forsell’s.
court documents, Seattle-based news Jayapal, 56, was the first Indi-
website King5.com reported. SRLC Volunteers Packaging 100,000 Meals an-American woman to be elected to
On July 9, Jayapal and her hus- the US House of Representatives in
band heard loud yelling coming from the first-ever Indian-American Con- telling Jayapal to harm herself. He 2016. She has been re-elected for the
outside their home in West Seattle. gresswoman who represents Seattle in also admitted to driving past Jayapal’s US House of Representatives for the
Jayapal’s husband, Steve Williamson, the US House of Representatives. house and yelling expletives anoth- third consecutive term.
went out on the front porch to investi- “Now, the Prosecutor’s Office and
gate and the couple heard male voices the courts will do their important work
yelling expletives and saying “Go back to protect all of us,” she added.
to India,” the report said. Jayapal had reported the incident
The couple also heard a voice tell- and said there was a similar incident in
ing Jayapal to harm herself and other front of her home on July 2.
comments alleging she was a commu- Later that night, a car returned
nist. When Williamson opened the and sped down Jayapal’s street, rev-
door, he said one of the males got back ving its engine, before coming to a stop
into a vehicle driven by the other male in her driveway, according to court
and sped away. documents. Williamson told Jayapal to
Chennai-born Jayapal released go upstairs for her safety and call the
a statement on Wednesday following police. He said the man was aggressive
news of the charges. “The news today and was getting out of his car and com-
from the King County Prosecuting At- ing toward the couple’s driveway.
torney’s office that they have charged Soon after, Seattle police arrived
Mr Forsell with felony stalking demon- on the scene and arrested Forsell for
strates that the justice system is doing malicious harassment. A neighbor of
its work,” she said. Jayapal’s said she heard Forsell say
“I am grateful to the King Coun- something similar to “Go back to In-
ty Prosecutor’s Office for holding this dia” and threaten to kill Jayapal, ac-
man accountable for his dangerous ac- cording to court documents.
tions, to the victim’s advocate for her The neighbor also reported one
assistance throughout the process, and of the men, who she believed to be
to the Seattle Police Department, U.S. Forsell, was erecting a tent, the report
Capitol Police, and the House Ser- said.
geant at Arms for continuing to keep Forsell admitted to yelling pro-
my family, me, and my staff safe, said fanities but denied making comments
about Jayapal’s race or ethnicity, or

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