NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A suspended attorney is in jail for allegedly e-mailing a threat to the federal bankruptcy court in New Orleans, the FBI said Sunday.

Ashton R. O’Dwyer, 62, had a loaded handgun when he was arrested about 9:40 p.m. Friday evening on the 6000 block of St. Charles Ave., a news release said. His home is on that block.

A sworn statement supporting the arrest warrant said that, earlier Friday, he sent an e-mail including the statement, “Given the recent “security breach’ at 500 Poydras Street, a number of scoundrels might be at risk if I DO become homicidal.”

500 Poydras Street is the address of the federal courthouse.

Thorne says O’Dwyer is being held until a detention hearing scheduled Monday. She says he had an initial court appearance on Saturday.

The Louisiana Supreme Court suspended his law license on March 30, citing a threat of harm which it did not describe.

The U.S. District Court in New Orleans suspended him from its bar for five years in November 2008. That order said O’Dwyer could apply for reinstatement after two years if he took stress and anger management counseling and could prove that his courtroom behavior and practice were up to standard.

It said he also would need certification that nobody had accused him of any unethical or unprofessional conduct of any type since Nov. 7, 2008.

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You can view Ashton R. O’Dwyer’s Order of Suspension here. The Order does not go into detail regarding the actual “threat of harm”, but you can read more about Ashton R. O’Dwyer and what lead to the suspension here.

If anyone has more to add to this story, email me at blog@dirtyLAWndry.com.

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