(New Haven, CT) – New Haven Judicial District State’s Attorney John P. Doyle, Jr. announced that a Superior Court jury in New Haven today found Paul Boyne, age 64, of Springfield, Virginia, guilty of 12 counts of felony Stalking in the First Degree, in violation of General Statutes § 53a-181c(a)(4), and six counts of Electronic Stalking in violation of General Statutes § 53a-181f for threats made against three Connecticut Superior Court Judges. The trial was presided over by the Honorable Peter L. Brown.
The evidence at trial established that Boyne paid for, operated, and authored specific blog posts on the website thefamilycourtcircus.com. Forensic evidence presented from Boyne’s seized computer showed him accessing the administration portion of the website to add and edit posts coinciding with their publication dates. Within those specific blog posts, Boyne made “true threats” aimed toward Judges Jane K. Grossman, Elizabeth J. Stewart, and former Superior Court Judge Thomas G. Moukawsher. The repeated postings made by Boyne threatened the judges’ deaths while simultaneously divulging their personal identifying information, such as their home addresses, alongside photos and descriptions of their homes.
Prosecutors presented to the jury that, under Connecticut’s “cyberstalking” statutes, Boyne’s statements amounted to “true threats” and were, thus, unprotected under the First Amendment. Additionally, the state proved that Boyne’s threats were made, in whole or in part, because of the judges’ actual or perceived religion and/or sexual orientation. The jury was presented with evidence that a majority of the blog posts authored by Boyne made multiple references to the “JEW-dicial” branch and how the Connecticut family courts were part of a vast Jewish conspiracy.
The three judges took the stand and testified how Boyne’s threats caused them to fear for their physical safety — as well as for their families’ safety — going beyond the bounds of protected speech. In all charged instances, Boyne’s threatening postings were in direct response to family court cases over which the three judges respectively presided and oftentimes referenced their rulings in an attempt to intimidate and harass. Boyne’s convictions follow a multi-year investigation into “thefamilycourtcircus.com.”
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Gregory L. Borrelli and State’s Attorney Doyle, with assistance from Inspector Michael Mastropetre and Paralegal Specialist Diane Kosiorek. The case was investigated by the Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit and Hate Crimes Unit.
State’s Attorney Doyle extends his appreciation to the Connecticut State Police, specifically, retired Detective Samantha McCord, the Connecticut Division of Scientific Services Forensic Examiner Mark Newth, as well as multiple Virginia authorities, including the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney in Fairfax County, the Virginia State Police, the Herndon, Virginia Police Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshals Service, Eastern District of Virginia.
Boyne is scheduled to appear in front of Judge Brown for sentencing in New Haven Superior Court on May 26, 2026.