Florida man guilty of trying to assassinate federal judge

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – A Florida man has been convicted of attempting to assassinate a federal judge.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Jacksonville reports in a news release that jurors convicted 27-year-old Aaron Richardson of attempted murder and multiple other counts Thursday. His sentencing date has not been scheduled.

Richardson, a Jacksonville resident, was arrested in June 2013, several days after authorities say he fired a stolen rifle at Judge Timothy Corrigan’s home, missing the judge by inches.

Corrigan had convicted and sentenced Richardson in 2008 for attempting to make a bomb. After serving his time, Richardson was arrested on new offenses.

Authorities say Richardson devised a plan to prepare a false order by Corrigan dismissing all of the pending charges and then to kill Corrigan so the judge couldn’t refute the fake order.