Russell man accused of threatening police loses bid for bail

A judge described a Russell man’s threats against police officers and public officials as a “a three-year fixation” when he denied his bail in Brandon provincial court on Wednesday.

“This isn’t sort of offhand comments,” Judge Donovan Dvorak said. “I’m concerned, frankly, if he’s released, somebody is going to get hurt, that there’s going to be tragic circumstances.”

Michael Man, 45, faces a single count of resisting arrest and four counts of uttering threats.

On Jan. 10, 2023, Russell RCMP received a report from Interpol — an international police organization — about comments made on YouTube that threatened violence toward politicians, law enforcement and medical professionals, Crown attorney Yaso Mathu said.

The comments were traced back to Man, she said.

Man was arrested and taken into custody two days later and charged with assaulting and obstructing a peace officer and uttering threats. He was denied bail.

On July 17, 2023, Man pleaded guilty to assaulting and obstructing a peace officer, for which he received a one-day time-served sentence, Mathu said.

On that same day, still facing an uttering threats charge, he was released on a $500 promise to pay with conditions, including that he reside in Russell.

On Jan. 27 of this year, Russell RCMP were called “in regard to the accused peering into a private residential backyard and taking pictures without permission,” Mathu said.

Police gave Man a warning, and three days later, Russell RCMP received several complaints that Man had been sending threatening messages, specifically aimed at police, to residents in the community, she said.

“The most concerning message the accused sent was as follows: ‘Typical worthless pig f––s in costumes came to harass me for taking pictures. Three cops, two vehicles. Next time that happens, I’ll wait for supper hour and kick their door and get the whole family. I told you guys, I’m not getting involved,’” Mathu read.

Police found Man later that day while he was out walking, and when he was told he was under arrest, he tried to walk away, the court heard.

After a couple minutes of him refusing to put his hands behind his back, he was arrested, Mathu said.

On Feb. 3, Man was granted release on a $2,500 promise to pay, a $500 cash deposit and a surety.

He was taken into custody again this month after new allegations based on a Nov. 6 email.

Saskatchewan RCMP reached out to Russell RCMP and notified them that an email address belonging to Man was sending threats to Pattison Media, Mathu said.

“F–– the police. Only good cops are dead cops. Nobody seems to want to release the details of the three pig f––s that violently assaulted me at gunpoint in the dark as vigilante justice,” Man’s email read.

He continued by writing:

“I know the RCMP member and his family personally, and he’s going to find himself thrown through the woodchipper out on his front lawn. Even the prosecutor bitch knows it’s coming.”

He was arrested for uttering threats and taken into custody, where he remains.

Mathu said Man has a “long history of threats to cause death or bodily harm to police and public officials” and called it a concerning pattern.

“He clearly has a disturbing animosity towards the police. The threats are graphic and concerningly specific. They involve not just the officers, as you’ve heard, but their families too.”

She said that if Man offends again, police officers will most likely be the people who have to deal with him, which puts them in a dangerous position.

Mathu said Man has shown that he will not follow conditions, as he has been given multiple chances before.

Man, who represented himself in court, said the threats were “simply words.”

“It’s not like I’m searching out RCMP members … I’m not actively pursuing anybody,” he said. “I realize they’re ugly words, but they are simply just words.”

He emphasized that he is not a violent man and that he has an envelope of evidence, including thank-you notes and cards from people in the community, to show that he is an “outstanding member of society.”

Man presented a bail plan, which included a $500 cash deposit and his mother as a surety. He said he would follow a 24-hour curfew and would reside with his mother, who he said he takes care of as she is elderly.

He said he would also follow conditions that he does not possess any devices that can access the internet and that he does not use the internet unless under the direct supervision of his surety.

Dvorak wasn’t convinced by Man’s plan.

“We’ve had police officers murdered in Canada, unfortunately, and sometimes, I think, probably signs were ignored. And I’m not going to ignore these signs.”

Man’s matter will appear again on Nov. 26 in Russell provincial court.

» sanderson@brandonsun.com