Former Cornell Student Sentenced for Antisemitic Threats

Former Cornell student Patrick Dai was sentenced to 21 months in prison for posting violent threats about shooting or stabbing Jewish people on campus last fall. Federal officials accused Dai in October of making anonymous threats on a Greek life forum amidst heightened antisemitic and anti-Muslim rhetoric related to the Gaza war. He pleaded guilty in April to using interstate communications to threaten harm.

Dai's sentence includes three years of supervised release. Judge Brenda Sannes noted that the threats significantly disrupted campus activities and constituted a hate crime but also acknowledged Dai's autism diagnosis, mental health challenges, and non-violent history. Dai could have faced up to five years in prison, but mitigating factors influenced the final sentence.

Dai's mother suggested that his actions were partly influenced by medication for depression and anxiety. Public defender Lisa Peebles argued that Dai supported Israel and mistakenly believed the posts would counteract perceived anti-Israel bias and pro-Hamas sentiment on campus. At the time, Dai, then a junior, was suspended from Cornell University. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)