Tennessee – A Memphis man has been convicted in federal court after a jury found he made explicit threats to kill two federal prosecutors and a federal judge during a courtroom proceeding tied to his own criminal case. Federal officials said the conduct crossed a serious legal line, putting public servants at risk and striking at the core of the justice system.
Justin Deshun Stiger, 33, of Memphis, Tennessee, was convicted this week following a jury trial in Memphis, according to an announcement from Braden H. Boucek, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Threats made during federal court proceeding
Because two prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee were victims in the case, that office was recused. The prosecution was instead handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Threats to law enforcement and the federal judiciary are not just attacks on those individuals. They are threats to the justice system itself. We take those extremely seriously, and we will hold those who make them accountable for their actions,” Boucek said. “Federal courtrooms are no place for violent threats, and public servants who are dedicated to serving our communities need to be able to go to work without worrying about someone threating to kill them.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Stiger was scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on April 16, 2025, for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. During that proceeding, witnesses testified that Stiger became enraged over the sentence the prosecutors intended to recommend.
According to testimony, Stiger, who has a prior conviction for a crime of violence and documented ties to a criminal street gang, pointed directly at the federal prosecutors and told them they were “going to die.” When the presiding judge, Mark Norris, ordered Stiger removed from the courtroom due to the outburst, the threats escalated.
As he was being removed, Stiger directed his attention to the judge and said, “You’re gonna die too, judge.” When Judge Norris asked whether Stiger was threatening him, Stiger replied: “It ain’t no threat. It’s a promise.”
Investigators testified that the threats continued even after the courtroom incident. According to trial evidence, Stiger later told a Deputy U.S. Marshal handling the investigation that “whoever gonna play with my life is gonna die.” In a recorded statement, he went even further, saying about the prosecutors and the judge, “I ain’t playing bro. Like they gonna die.”
Sentencing and potential prison time
Stiger is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Memphis. He was convicted on three counts related to the threats and now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for each count, meaning decades behind bars are possible under federal law.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service, which is tasked with protecting federal judges, prosecutors, and court personnel.
The prosecution was led by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. McGuire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle.
Federal officials emphasized that the conviction sends a clear message that threats made in court or against judicial officers will not be dismissed as emotional outbursts. Instead, they will be treated as serious crimes with severe consequences, especially when they place lives and the integrity of the justice system at risk.
