An 81-year-old St. Paul man is facing felony charges after a confrontation over missing property at a rural Hamilton County residence allegedly ended with him pointing a gun at another man and blocking his way out. Jerry Daugherty was carrying not one but two firearms, along with handcuffs tucked inside his walker, when deputies arrived on Sept. 30.
Daugherty is charged in Hamilton County Court with terroristic threats, false imprisonment and use of a firearm to commit a felony, according to nebraska.tv. Just before 10 a.m. that day, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office responded to the rural property after a report that a man was threatening another man with a gun, per the same account.
Confrontation Over Stolen Items
Daugherty told a deputy he had gone to the residence to confront the man about stealing his guns, a pool cue and what he described as thousands of dollars' worth of items, the report states. The alleged victim told investigators that after he instructed Daugherty to leave his property, Daugherty pointed a gun at him and blocked his exit.
When deputies arrived, they located Daugherty and a handgun sitting on the trunk of a car. That weapon was identified as a .45-caliber Glock Model 30, loaded with a full magazine and one round already chambered, the outlet's report notes.
Second Gun and Handcuffs Found in Walker
A search turned up more than just the Glock. Inside the storage pouch on Daugherty's walker, deputies found a .22-caliber Iver Johnson Cadet revolver loaded with eight bullets, along with two sets of handcuffs, according to the report.
Asked about the handcuffs, Daugherty explained that he did not trust the alleged victim and wanted him restrained during the confrontation over the missing items, per court records cited in the report. Under Nebraska's terroristic threats statute, a defendant does not need to have actually carried out an act of violence for the charge to apply, since the threat itself — whether written, oral, physical or some combination — is at the heart of the offense, according to the Nebraska Legislature. The false imprisonment charge Daugherty faces similarly hinges on knowingly restraining someone under terrorizing circumstances, under conditions risking serious bodily injury, or with intent to hold that person in involuntary servitude, per the Nebraska Legislature's statute on the offense.
Case Moves to Special Prosecutor
Due to a conflict of interest, both a special prosecutor and a special judge have been appointed to handle the case, the report states. Daugherty was released from jail after posting 10% of a $75,000 bond, and a judge ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victim.
He is scheduled to appear in Hamilton County Court at 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 13.
