Man Acquitted of Harassment

A man arrested after saying Mayor Giuliani should be executed was acquitted Thursday of aggravated harassment charges.

Jurors said Christopher Brodeur behavior toward City Hall was annoying but not criminal.

Brodeur was accused of making more than 80 threatening telephone calls to the mayor's press office since 1997.

Juror James Voight, a brother of actor John Voight, said the jurors all thought Brodeur was very nice and was acting sincerely.

A court complaint claimed that Brodeur told the press office that, in his own words, "all politicians should be beheaded," "all politicians are liars and should be executed," and "the mayor should be executed."

Prosecutors argued that Brodeur deliberately violated two court orders and threatened the mayor's press office.

Brodeur's lawyer, Michele Hauser, said her client's remarks were opinions directed at an elected politician, and protected by the First Amendment.

She said Brodeur was arrested because City Hall didn't like the remarks.