# Is it illegal to tell someone you will kill them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230 "2001-02-20T16:38:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/21 "2001-02-21T23:45:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jodi \* > \*\* Ah. In my defense, I don’t think that was clear from HANDY’S question > \*\* Would it be too un-moderator-like to take that as my new sig? ---
**Author:** ![K3v1n](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@K3v1n](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K3v1n)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/22 "2001-02-22T00:09:35Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by wring \* > 3. Depending on the state that she’s in, the specific threat may be charged. State of MI has the strongest stalker law around and it includes the use of a verbal threat of violence._\* A friend told me she heard of a law that if someone follows you in a car past 3 turns, you can call the police on them for stalking. Is this true? (I’m quoting your post because it _might_ be a Michigan law, as we are close to Michigan (North-west Ohio) ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2001, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/23 "2001-02-22T00:17:59Z")
> [@](#): > > A friend told me she heard of a law that if someone follows you in a car past 3 turns, you can call the police on them for stalking. I’ve never heard of that, and I find it hard to believe because it would keep the cops incredibly busy in any city like mine where the locals all know the same shortcuts. Does it take more than three minutes to establish a history of stalking? Hmm,… I’ve noticed the _same_ woman behind me at the deli breakfast line for a couple of weeks now - no, she doesn’t look at me; she acts like she’s just interested in the eggs. But really now, almost every time I’m there, there she is behind me… ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/24 "2001-02-22T00:31:25Z")
I am going to kill **Zenster** because he just barely beat me to posting something a couple of days ago. I am going to kill him with my phaser. ---
**Author:** ![DreamWorks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DreamWorks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreamWorks)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2001, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/25 "2001-02-22T07:03:42Z")
As a police officer in New York, the guy would be charged with harassment. If he tells her this over the phone, then it would be aggravated harassment. Finally if he waves the gun at her and says this, it is menacing. The final two are misdemeanors, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and the first is a violation, which usually nets a fine or probation. And most certainly an order of protection. ---
**Author:** ![Glitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/0ea827/32.png) [@Glitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glitch)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2001, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/26 "2001-02-22T12:22:58Z")
In Canada, he could be charged with “uttering a death threat”. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230/27 "2001-02-22T13:22:35Z")
> [@](#): > > A friend told me she heard of a law that if someone follows you in a car past 3 turns, you can call the police on them for stalking. Is this true? (I’m quoting your post because it _might_ be a Michigan law, as we are close to Michigan (North-west Ohio) \*\* Here’s the [Michigan Stalker law](http://www.michiganlegislature.org/law/GetObject.asp?objName=750-411i&queryid=1083271) Which includes this language on the threat: > [@](#): > > Credible threat” means a threat to kill another individual or a threat to inflict physical injury upon another individual that is made in any manner or in any context that causes the individual hearing or receiving the threat to reasonably fear for his or her safety or the safety of another individual and the [Misdemeanor version](http://www.michiganlegislature.org/law/GetObject.asp?objName=750-411h&queryid=1083271) both include the phrase “Following or appearing within the sight of that individual”, but I saw nothing about “following past x number of turns in the car”. I suspect that phrase may have been said when a potential victim asked ‘how can I prove that Freddie’s following me in his car’. But I didn’t see where it was established as a legal standard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-illegal-to-tell-someone-you-will-kill-them/55230.md?page=1)