Police Dismiss Claim Pat Robertson Threatened Man Suing Him

Associated Press/March 27, 2007

Norfolk police have dismissed a claim by a Texas bodybuilder that religious broadcaster Pat Robertson threatened to kill him and his family.

According to the complaint Phillip Busch filed with police, Robertson walked into federal court for a legal proceeding in February and told him, "I am going to kill you and your family."

Robertson was in court to give a deposition for a lawsuit Busch filed against the televangelist, claiming misappropriation of his image to promote Robertson's protein diet shake. The investigation into the incident was closed last week, according to a report from the police department.

The status of the claim was considered "unfounded." Attorneys for Robertson say the broadcaster did speak with Busch but did NOT threaten him. Busch says he'll continue to push to prosecute Robertson.

Robertson has been touting his "age-defying" weight-loss shake since 2001 on his Virginia Beach-based Christian Broadcasting Network talk show "The 700 Club."

The case goes to trial in April.