Son Defends Mother Accused of Threatening A Judge
The son of the woman accused of writing a threatening letter to Judge Gaylen Box wants people to understand why his mother did what she did.
The man says his mother, Lorene Luna, was actually trying to frame his estranged wife.
“She didn’t have any intentions of anybody actually getting hurt,? said Chris Luna.
Since a threatening letter found on the wall of the Bannock County Courthouse caused an evacuation and brought in a hazmat team, the police have arrested Lorene A. Luna, and determined there was no dangerous substance in the envelope.
Chris Luna says his life was threatened in the letter as well, and he spent a night in a safe house.
Despite that, he says his mother never meant a word of the letter, but that it was a misguided attempt to help in his custody case against his wife.
“The thing is, she made it to look like my soon-to-be ex-wife had written the letter. My wife and I, we’re going through a custody battle with my child,? said Chris Luna.
In fact, he said, it’s hard for his mom to always understand the ramifications of what she does.
“She has some learning disabilities, and she’s been on disability for over 20 years. She doesn’t exactly think like everyone else, so, I really don’t think she understood the extent of the trouble she was getting herself into,? said Chris Luna.
Lorene Luna will return in a matter of weeks to the Bannock County Courthouse to face a charge of misdemeanor threatening of a judicial officer.
?There should be some repercussions for what she’s done, but I do ask that they be lenient with her, because, like I said before, there was really no danger to anyone,? said Chris Luna.
He says he would have stopped her if he’d known what she was planning, but he can understand her motivations.
“I don’t condone what she did, but I can understand why she did it, where she was coming from. No, it wasn’t the right way to do things, but like I said before, I can understand. She was trying to protect my daughter,? said Chris Luna.
Although a hazmat team was called in to examine the envelope, Chris says his mother didn’t put any kind of powder in the letter.
