A Knoxville man has been detained after allegedly making threats on 911 calls towards Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steven Sword, according to local authorities. The Knoxville Police Department (KPD) reported that 32-year-old Patrick Harris is facing charges for retaliation for past action, a Class E felony, and prohibited non-emergency 911 calls.

During a 911 call on March 17, the KPD claimed Harris threatened violence against Judge Sword, an assertion solidified by a report from WBIR that quoted him threatening to "blow his g****** f****** face off." The same report noted Harris' uncooperative behavior when confronted by officers, initially denying having made any 911 calls in February, and later being unable to recall his phone's password once officers attempted to verify his call history.

Officials also noted that this wasn't Harris' first alleged threat towards the judge, with a similar incident occurring back in February. WVLT revealed detectives had uncovered a previous threat made against Judge Sword dating to the 23 of February. In that call, Harris reportedly stated he would "blow Judge Sword's head off if he did not stop harassing him."

Judge Sword, who was appointed to the Sixth Judicial District in 2011, and recently appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals, Eastern Division by Governor Bill Lee -- a transition awaiting confirmation by the Tennessee General Assembly, is at the center of what appears to be a personal vendetta by Harris. His arrest occurred on Tuesday afternoon in North Knoxville, according to information from WATE.

The charges brought against Harris seek to address the violent nature of the threats made via emergency services, highlighting the critical response of law enforcement in addressing potential threats to public officials. The matter remains under investigation, as the legal ramifications of Harris' alleged actions are processed through the courts.