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Woman shot, killed by police had threatened lawmaker

COBB COUNTY, Ga.,None — A woman shot and killed during a confrontation with a Cobb County police officer was under a federal indictment for allegedly sending a threatening package to a New York state senator.

An officer shot and killed 53-year-old Jameela Barnette at her Penny Lane apartment on Christmas Day.  Police said the officer responded to a panic alarm at Barnette's apartment, but when he arrived he said Barnette attacked him with a knife and gun.  He said he shot her in self-defense. The officer was injured, but police are not releasing his condition. 

Just last month, a federal grand jury indicted Barnette who was accused of sending New York state Sen. Greg Ball a threatening package in April that contained a stuffed monkey pinned with Stars of David, a vial of unidentified liquid marked "Zyklon-B" and an anti-Semitic, ranting letter.

Barnette claimed to be Muslim.  Ball had been part of a hearing investigating the activities of what he called "radical American Muslims".

"...it is apparent that you are the proud, dirty-white, goose-stepping, cross-bearing, flag-draped, Muslim-hating Christian ghoul marching to your own destruction," agents said Barnette wrote in the letter.  "I have included a gift for you, your own miniature Jew that you can worship in the privacy of your own home.  I will be scanning the obituaries to read the end of your saga.  Enjoy your brief and evil life of fairy tales and hokum your evil Jew masters created for you because the Hell-fire is your final destination and the final destination of all of your colleagues."

The letter is signed, "Kind Regards, Jameela."

Ball's office reported the incident to Albany, N.Y. police and that prompted a federal investigation.

"You have to take all these things in a post 9/11 environment seriously," said Ball days after receiving the package. 
"But you can't allow it to get you off course."

Barnette was indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta in November.  Records show a judge released her on $20,000 bond with the conditions that she send no more threatening communications and get a psychiatric evaluation.  It is unknown if she ever received that evaluation.

Records showed that just three weeks ago, Barnette's court appointed attorney asked a judge to drop the charges against her. 

"A careful review of the letter shows that while most may consider the letter extremely offensive or even frightening, there are no threats contained in the letter."

A person was inside Barnette's apartment, but declined a comment. Channel 2's Richard Elliot went by the home of a family member, but again received no comment.