U.S. citizen charged with death threats targeting Justin Trudeau makes court appearance from London, Ont.

Hearing for man charged with threatening PM CTV London’s Brent Lale with an extradition hearing in Sarnia for an American man accused of threatening PM Justin Trudeau.

A U.S. citizen charged with threatening death or bodily harm to Justin Trudeau made a virtual court appearance from a London jail Friday.

Jeremy Joseph, 40 — who is living in Sarnia, Ont. — was arrested on Feb. 4, 2023 after Sarnia police were notified of emails containing threats.

He’s charged with uttering threats to cause death related to the prime minister of Canada, citizens of Sarnia, and one count of uttering threats to damage of property (City of Sarnia).

Joseph — representing himself — told the court he worked on Wall Street in New York City, and studied business at Stanford University as well as bioengineering in Seattle and in Houston at Rice University.

The Houston native described himself as a “refugee in Canada” and said he “fled the United States for fear of my life and persecution.”

He's been living in Sarnia for nearly six months after entering the country in Windsor.

He also faces charges in multiple states south of the border.

Appearing via video in a Sarnia court, Joseph told Justice Kelly Tranquilli that allegations by the attorney general through the U.S. are “riddled with incorrect information.”

“As I go through this extradition process, I think my major concerns are I just don't have a lot of visibility of exactly what's going on,” said Joseph, referring to being in EMDC [Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre]. “I'm learning about new charges in New York when I've been in Canada for the last seven months.”

He also made claims that his bail hearing earlier this month felt like there was collusion between the U.S. and the attorney general.

“I had major concerns because it felt like a script that was being provided directly from the United States,” said Joseph.

He expressed difficulties as a self-represented litigant from inside EMDC claiming he feels like he is operating in a vacuum.

"I think the concern here is I've asked for duty counsel,” said Joseph.

He added, “I've reached out to the social worker to get into direct contact with the attorney general and have not heard anything back from that. I've asked for legal documentation, rules of evidence, civil court and procedure, the Refugee and Immigration Act, motion templates, even Canadian case law, and I've not yet gotten access to any of those things.”

He's admits to battling mental health challenges after he said his mother was murdered and his identity was stolen by his cousin.

He claims his estate of over $400,000 has been wiped out after “being taken advantage of by lawyers.”

The extradition documents have not yet come in, so this case has been adjourned to April 20.

Kandia Aird, counsel representing the attorney general, has agreed to get Joseph all necessary documents via courier as soon as they receive record of the case.