Nurse Who Threatened To Kill Kamala Harris In Recorded Videos, Detained

A Miami woman has been held for allegedly threatening to kill US Vice President Kamala Harris, according to a complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The accused recorded the threats in a series of videos.

According to the complaint, "Niviane Petit Phelps knowingly and willfully made threats to kill and inflict bodily harm upon the Vice President of the United States in violation of Title 18, United States Code Section 871," from Feb.13 through Feb. 18.

She sent the videos along with two photographs to her husband, Joseph, who is serving jail time after being convicted of a 1996 armed robbery and murder of a grocery store owner. The videos and photographs were found by a Secret Service special agent assigned to the case, reported CNN.

"The videos [that are of relevance to this investigation] generally depict Phelps complaining and speaking angrily to the camera about her hatred for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, among others," read the complaint.

"However, in these videos, Phelps also made statements about killing Vice President Harris." In one of the videos, "Phelps stated, 'Kamala Harris you are going to die. Your days are numbered already,'" the complaint stated.

In another video on Feb. 18, Phelps said, "I'm going to the gun range. ... I swear to God, today is your day you're gonna die. 50 days from today, mark this day down."

In a photo dated two days later, Phelps was seen at a shooting range. "On February 22, 2021, Phelps applied for a concealed weapons permit."

On March 3, the Secret Service and detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department went to Phelps' house to interview her, but she refused to talk to them at the time, according to the complaint.

"Two days later, I received a call from Phelps, who complained that her employer had put her on administrative leave," read the complaint.

On March 6, a Secret Service agent went to speak with Phelps at her home.

According to the complaint, Phelps, who is Black, said, "She was angry at the time about Kamala Harris becoming Vice President but that she is 'over it now.' Phelps expressed how she believes Kamala Harris is not actually 'black' and how during inauguration she disrespectfully put her hand on her clutch purse instead of the Bible. Phelps continued saying that somebody told her that America is going to choose who they choose, so Phelps had put her rage about the Vice President aside. Phelps stated that she is now 'past it."

Harris is of South Asian and Jamaican descent.

Phelps’ defense attorney, Scott Saul, told the Miami Herald Friday that he is still going through details of the case but said the videos were intended as private conversation with her husband and that federal law required “a true threat” not just “idle talk or a careless remark."

“Based upon my limited knowledge, I do not think my client was a genuine threat to the vice president. All this case involved was my client venting to her incarcerated husband [where the communications were recorded and then forwarded to law enforcement],” Saul said in a statement.

“It appears as though personal issues in her life, along with the volatile political landscape perpetuated by some, brought some frustrations out of her. I do not think that there was ever a realistic or imminent threat upon Vice President Kamala Harris," he added.

Phelps is currently being held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami because the magistrate judge Thursday found her to be a “danger to the community.”

Phelps has been working at the Jackson Health System for the past 20 years. Jackson Health System spokesperson said she worked most recently as a licensed practical nurse in the Ambulatory Care Center West at Jackson Memorial Medical Center, but she has been suspended without pay and will be losing her job.