A guy from Jefferson County with a long criminal past was found guilty of encouraging the assassination of a federal prosecutor in Birmingham. Acting Middle District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Davidson stated on Friday that Michael Roman Black, 32, was found guilty by a federal jury on Thursday of making false statements to a federal agent, threatening to kill, and soliciting the murder of a federal prosecutor.
Given that a Birmingham prosecutor was the target of the threat, the case was tried by Middle District prosecutors. Black, who has lived in Hueytown and Bessemer, was formerly found guilty in state court of manslaughter on a lesser charge in connection with the 2011 shooting death of an 18-year-old in Bessemer. At the time, he was eighteen too.
According to court records in the federal case, Black in February 2023, was jailed in Hoover after federal charges were brought against him by the Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney’s Office, which is in Birmingham. Black was being held on drug and gun charges. While in custody, authorities said, Black told another inmate about his plan to have one of the federal prosecutors working on his case murdered by two associates “on the outside.”
Black shared specific details of who he planned to contact and that he would have them shoot the prosecutor while she was in her car. Law enforcement learned of this threat and, after confirming its legitimacy and seriousness, developed an operation to successfully thwart the murder plot. Black tried to hide his strategy by making fake remarks when questioned by federal authorities. Black was charged on March 28, 2023, by a federal grand jury in Birmingham, Alabama, for threatening to kill a federal official, encouraging someone to kill someone, and lying to a federal agent.
According to Davidson, “threatening a prosecutor or other law enforcement official is a serious offense and a direct attack against our system of justice.” “I am appreciative of law enforcement’s hard work in discovering and foiling this plot to kill a public servant who was only trying to bring justice to the people of the United States.” For making false statements to a federal agent, Black may receive a term of up to five years, up to 20 years, and up to ten years for threatening to kill a federal officer. The date of his sentencing is December 12.
The matter was looked into by the DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, Hoover police, and Jefferson County sheriff’s officers. Prosecution is being handled by Middle District of Alabama Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Geer, III. 2011 saw Black face murder charges in connection with the shooting death of 18-year-old Luman Jones. In 2014, he entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of manslaughter and received a 10-year jail sentence. How long he really served was not immediately apparent. Black, who also has previous convictions for burglary and drug possession, is still facing charges in state court as well.