A man from Palm Beach County is facing charges for making serious threats against two local judges. He used Facebook to say he was ready to “go down in that blaze of glory if necessary.”
John Mandia, 54, who resides west of Boca Raton, was taken into custody on Tuesday. He’s charged with three instances of making written threats to kill or harm someone.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office got involved after a concerned citizen reported Mandia’s threatening posts on social media. Deputies found posts where Mandia expressed anger similar to what he felt was unjustly done to former President Trump, suggesting a violent retaliation against judges and prosecutors in Palm Beach, claiming no one could stop him.
Two people familiar with Mandia shared their worries with deputies, fearing he might actually carry out his threats.
Further investigation revealed an earlier post from January 15, where Mandia expressed his intent to target Judge Scott Suskauer and Judge Rosemarie Scher, blaming his incarceration on false allegations made by his ex-wife and claiming injustice at the hands of the Florida legal system. He warned the judges to be vigilant, hinting at a direct threat.
This threat stemmed from a case involving a domestic violence injunction led by Scher. Mandia had previously been arrested for violating a court order, leading to a felony conviction for aggravated stalking in a case overseen by Suskauer and Assistant State Attorney Monique Wilson.
In response to a Facebook comment advising caution as his actions could lead to further imprisonment, Mandia replied emphasizing his desire to expose the situation publicly, regardless of the consequences. He lamented the loss of his life as he knew it due to the judge’s actions, indicating a readiness to confront the judge directly.
Despite a friend’s sympathy over his situation, Mandia reiterated his grievances regarding the lack of fair process in his divorce, which proceeded while he was in jail, and his readiness to die for his cause, directly threatening the judge once more.
Given the escalating nature of his threats, authorities found enough reason to arrest Mandia. He is currently detained in the main Palm Beach County jail, with bail set at $450,000.
Harlan Kilstein the publisher of this website is a resident of Delray. He has lived in Palm Beach County since 1997, In that time he has explored everything for surfing on private beaches in Delray to walks up and down Atlantic Avenue.
He is known to drop everything at a moment's notice to fish in Delray Lakes, bird watch, goes horseback riding or play pinball at the Delray Pin Ball Museum.
You can find him either sipping a coffee on Atlantic Avenue or drinking a flight of whiskey at Warren's.
One thing is certain, he knows Delray Beach.
