COEUR d’ALENE — A Rathdrum man is facing a hate crime charge after police said he pointed a gun at a man, called him racist slurs and threatened to kill him.

Blake J. Weatherly, 31, is charged with malicious harassment and aggravated assault, both felonies. 

In Idaho, it is unlawful to threaten, intimidate or harass another person because of that person’s race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin. Incidents must involve injury, property damage or a reasonable threat of either one in order to qualify as malicious harassment. The crime of malicious harassment does not prohibit the use of racist slurs, but rather threats that are racially motivated. 

The charges stem from March 8, when Rathdrum police responded to a possible domestic dispute involving Weatherly and a man who is dating Weatherly’s relative. 

A 911 dispatcher advised police that the parties involved were “screaming the N-word.” One party said “something to the effect of ‘put the gun away,’” while someone else yelled “pull the trigger,” according to court records.  

The reporting party, who is a Black man, told Rathdrum police that he had accompanied his girlfriend to Weatherly’s home to pick up her child. During an ensuing argument, the man said he never got out of his vehicle because Weatherly’s behavior frightened him.  

The man said Weatherly told him “I will hang you by a tree, N-word,” using the full slur and while pointing a handgun at him, according to court records. 

Weatherly told police he felt “threatened” by the presence of his relative’s boyfriend in front of his home, so he retrieved a handgun from his own vehicle and held it “in a low-ready position,” pointed toward the ground. 

Police reviewed text messages Weatherly sent to his relative about her boyfriend. In one message, Weatherly told her to “get the low life (N-word) out so your son can feel welcome at home or I’ll come clear the space myself,” according to court records. 

Prosecutors filed felony charges against Weatherly on April 24 and a judge signed a $20,000 warrant for Weatherly’s arrest. 

After his arrest the following day, Weatherly posted bail. He is expected to appear in court again in May.