A Powell city councilman’s comment about “hanging bad judges” drew a rebuke from his colleagues on Monday night.

At their regular meeting, Councilman Troy Bray’s fellow council members passed a resolution saying they “condemn statements which threaten or support political violence, including threats toward judges in our courts.”

Bray — who criticized the body for singling out his remark — was the lone councilor to vote against the resolution. He has said his statement was not a threat nor a call for others to act.

Councilman Steve Lensegrav proposed the resolution “supporting an independent judiciary and condem[n]ing political violence” shortly before Monday’s meeting, as it was a late addition to the agenda.

“I think the important piece of a resolution like this is to show that, as a city, as a city body, we support the judiciary, we support the police force, we support the rules and regulations that are around us,” Lensegrav said at the meeting. 

The remark

The controversy stems from a comment that Bray left on the Facebook page of Democratic state Rep. Mike Yin of Jackson early on the evening of April 25.

Yin had shared a news story about Natrona County District Court Judge Dan Forgey temporarily blocking the enforcement of the Legislature’s new “Human Heartbeat Act,” which generally prohibits abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. In his post, Yin wrote that the Legislature should obey the Constitution and people’s freedom to make their own healthcare choices, but instead continues making it harder to keep young people and doctors in Wyoming.

“The only way that changes is at the ballot box,” Yin wrote.

Replied Bray, “The only way Wyoming is going to have freedom is to start hanging bad judges.”

The reaction

In interviews with Cowboy State Daily, multiple retired judges and Mayor John Wetzel expressed concern with the remark. Retired Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Kate Fox — who was among the majority that struck down the state’s earlier abortion bans in January — told the publication that judges are human beings and “to talk of hanging them makes my heart sick.”

“This kind of threat hurts all of us,” Fox added to Cowboy State Daily.

In a subsequent post on Facebook, Bray sought to provide context for his comment. That included outlining multiple concerns with the state’s “broken” judicial system that range from judges’ practices of prohibiting recording in the courtroom to frivolous lawsuits to the outsized role the governor plays in choosing judges.

“I am determined to fix what is wrong in Wyoming — from corruption to injustice to infringements on our liberty — by any means necessary,” Bray wrote. “I will exhaust every peaceful means I can find.”

“I've invented new peaceful means, and I AM making progress,” he added, pointing to his support of multiple successful political candidates.

After Bray’s hanging comment made statewide and national news, hundreds of people weighed in on social media, with some criticizing the councilman and others defending him.

Undermining an
independent judiciary

In its Monday resolution, the council said it “recognizes the fundamental importance of an independent judiciary in providing checks and balances in our Federal and State governments, and in protecting the constitutional rights of citizens,” along with the “crucial role” judges and courts play in interpreting the law.

It adds that, “statements which threaten or support political violence of any kind, including those which threaten or support violence toward judges for performing their duties, undermine the role of an independent judiciary.” 

During a brief discussion, Lensegrav said council members have the individual right to freedom of speech, but “I think that, as a body, we need to make sure that the people we support know that we support the rules and the regulations that we’re under.”

“Agreed,” said Wetzel.

When the mayor called for further discussion, Bray spoke up.

“I find it interesting that we’ve had three opportunities to say we don’t think we should shoot our president, don’t think we should shoot people for speaking their mind, but this is where we’re going to draw a line and make a stand,” Bray said, apparently alluding to attempted assassinations of President Donald Trump and last fall’s assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk. “I applaud you for at least taking a stand, though.”

The council then voted 6-1 to pass the resolution. Wetzel generally doesn’t vote, but told the Tribune he supported this measure.

“I think we had to take a stand,” he said.

Bray declined further comment.

The resolution has no effect on Bray’s elected position on the council. His current term runs through January 2029.