IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA

No. 08–0623

Filed May 20, 2011

STATE OF IOWA,

Appellee,

vs.

JEFFREY ALAN SOBOROFF,

Appellant.

Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Clinton County, J. Hobart 

Darbyshire, Judge.

Jeffrey Soboroff appeals his conviction for making threats in 

violation of Iowa Code section 712.8 (2007). REVERSED AND 

REMANDED FOR NEW TRIAL.

Mark C. Smith, State Appellate Defender, and Martha J. Lucey, 

Assistant State Appellate Defender, for appellant.

Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General, Kevin Cmelik, Assistant 

Attorney General, and Michael L. Wolf, County Attorney, for appellee.
2

MANSFIELD, Justice.

Jeffrey Soboroff was convicted following a jury trial of the offense of 

“threats” in violation of Iowa Code section 712.8 (2007) after posting on 

his website a slideshow entitled “Target for Tonight.” The slides included 

a photograph of a city’s water tower, references to putting Thorazine in 

the city’s water supply, and photographs of certain residents of the city 

with a caption expressing the view that these individuals “could use 

some medication.”

On appeal, Soboroff argues that section 712.8, which prohibits 

threats to place “any destructive substance” where it will endanger 

people, does not apply to the potential contamination of a city water 

supply with a psychotropic drug. Soboroff also contends his trial 

counsel was constitutionally ineffective for not moving for a judgment of 

acquittal because Soboroff did not make a “true threat,” i.e., a threat that 

a reasonable person of ordinary intelligence would have understood as 

such. Additionally, Soboroff argues his counsel should have requested 

an instruction that would have required the jury to find the elements of a 

“true threat.”

We hold section 712.8 can cover threats to contaminate a water 

supply with a psychotropic drug. Also, there was substantial evidence 

Soboroff made statements that would be understandable as threats by a 

person of reasonable intelligence. However, we agree with Soboroff that 

he received ineffective assistance when his counsel failed to ask for an 

instruction requiring the jury to find a “true threat.” While there was 

evidence that Soboroff’s threats were real, there was also evidence from 

which a jury could have concluded his statements were not real threats, 

and this issue should have been squarely presented to the jury. 

Therefore, we reverse and remand for a new trial.
3

I. Background Facts and Proceedings.

Based upon the testimony and other evidence presented at trial, a 

jury could have found the following facts.

The City of Calamus water system serves approximately 400 

residents and an additional 350 people when the elementary school 

located in the city is in session. In November 2007, the Calamus water 

system included a 128-foot tall water tower and a reservoir tank.

Duane Levien managed public works for Calamus. In that 

position, Levien oversaw the water system for Calamus. Levien checked, 

recorded, and refilled the chlorine, phosphate, and residual levels within 

the water supply daily. He also measured the amount of water pumped 

daily and maintained the necessary paperwork for the State. Levien 

usually injected about a half gallon of chlorine into the water system a 

day, but if he was in the process of “shocking the system,” he could 

“dump a hundred pounds of granule in . . . just a matter of twenty 

minutes.”

On the morning of Monday, November 12, 2007, Levien was 

approached by an unnamed citizen and handed a printout from an 

internet website known as “freeworldkgb.” The printout was of a 

slideshow entitled “Target for Tonight.” The first slide contained a 

photograph of the Calamus water tower with the text, “I am thinking that 

if we drop enough Thorizine (sic) in the city water supply it might calm 

the population down enough so that they wont (sic) call us n-----s

anymore, or dumb Jew n-----s.” The second slide had a photograph of a 

toad and said that “with his help, freeworldkgb has procured 500 pounds 

of Thorizine (sic).” Subsequent slides contained candid photographs of 

three city residents with various comments, including a statement, “I 
4

have decided that they could use some medication.” It was stipulated 

that the “freeworldkgb” website belonged to Soboroff.

Levien knew Soboroff as someone who had both made and been 

the subject of numerous complaints within the community. Levien had 

signed a petition to have Soboroff civilly committed in June or July 2007. 

It was also fairly common knowledge in Calamus that “freeworldkgb” was 

Soboroff’s website.

Levien believed that “Target for Tonight” was a reference to the 

previous night. He contacted the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and the 

regional field office for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. 

Levien then flushed the entire Calamus water system and drained all of 

the water out of the tower and the reservoir tank, a process that took 

approximately five to six hours. Levien did not take a sample of the 

water to test whether any Thorazine had actually been placed into the 

water tower or the reservoir tank.

Clinton County Deputy Tom Christoffersen responded to Levien’s 

initial call. After being shown the slideshow printout, Deputy 

Christoffersen went to speak with Soboroff at his residence in Calamus. 

Deputy Christoffersen recorded his conversation with Soboroff using the 

audio from his in-car camera. This recording was played for the jury. 

The recording began with Soboroff stating, “I’m not f---ing around with 

anybody anymore. I’m tired of these a--holes.” When Deputy 

Christoffersen later disclosed that someone had made a complaint, 

Soboroff said, “F---’em! I put that on there to irritate them, and I’m glad 

they’re irritated.” The recording then ended with Soboroff stating that he 

did not believe he had crossed the line and, if the sheriff’s office did, they 

could call his attorney.
5

On November 14, 2007, a search warrant was executed at 

Soboroff’s residence. Soboroff was present and recorded the events with

a handheld video camera. Later, he posted the recording on the internet, 

and it was played for the jury as well. During the video, Soboroff 

acknowledged twice that the officers were looking for 500 pounds of 

Thorazine. When the officers informed Soboroff they were seizing his 

computer, Soboroff questioned why, and then stated, “Look, that is a 

satirical article, that’s all that that is.” The background image on

Soboroff’s computer was a picture of the Calamus water tower. The 

officers did not find any Thorazine during the search.

On November 20, 2007, the State charged Soboroff by trial 

information with threats in violation of Iowa Code section 712.8.1 On 

March 7, 2008, Soboroff moved to dismiss the trial information on the 

ground there was no evidence in the minutes of testimony that he had 

made a threat involving “any incendiary or explosive device or material, 

or any destructive substance or device in any place where it will 

endanger persons or property” as required by section 712.8. The district

court denied the motion, ruling that it was untimely and, alternatively,

that section 712.8 was not limited to incendiary or explosive types of

devices and materials. The case proceeded to trial on March 10 and 11, 

2008.

In addition to presenting the testimony of Levien and the two 

sheriff’s deputies who had handled the investigation, the State also 

introduced the testimony of a pharmacist, Cynthia Ryan. Ryan testified 

that Thorazine is a psychotropic drug commonly used to treat mental or 

mood disorders, especially schizophrenia. She stated the common side 

 1The State also charged Soboroff with unlawful possession of a prescription drug 

in violation of Iowa Code section 155A.21, but this charge was dismissed before trial.
6

effects for Thorazine include drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision, and 

constipation, with less common side effects including a malignant 

syndrome that can cause a high temperature, muscle rigidity, irregular 

heartbeats, tardive dyskinesia (involuntary muscle spasms), and possibly 

even death. Ryan testified it would be impossible to predict what would 

happen if Thorazine were added to a city’s water supply, but it was her 

opinion that “any use of a drug that is improper I would consider 

dangerous . . . . Drugs are only appropriate when prescribed for a 

particular patient for a particular condition.” Ryan further testified 

Thorazine is not a controlled substance, but is restricted to “purchase by 

order of prescription.” Ryan estimated that a single prescription would 

provide about 30 tablets of Thorazine ranging from 10 to 100 milligrams. 

Ryan further opined that it would be “near impossible” to obtain 500

pounds of Thorazine even with a relatively long period of time to do so.

After the State rested its case, Soboroff’s counsel moved for a 

judgment of acquittal, renewing his arguments in the motion to dismiss 

and asserting there was “no evidence presented by the State” to establish 

the alleged threat involved a substance covered by section 712.8. The 

district court denied the motion. After further discussion, the following 

dialogue ensued:

MR. VILMONT: And are we to conclude, Your Honor, that 

the State has proven in this case up to this point in time that 

Thorazine is a destructive substance?

THE COURT: The Court finds the State has provided 

sufficient evidence to make a prima facie case so that the 

jury should consider the issue, yes.

Soboroff then took the stand in his own defense and testified in a 

rambling way. Soboroff maintained that the slideshow was “a story” and 

“a metaphor.” Soboroff gave the jury the following explanation for why 

he had posted the slideshow:
7

I wrote this story about a toad who is down at the river 

mourning the loss of his friend because some individual, 

either an adult or a child, took a firecracker, put it in the 

animal’s cloaca and blew it up. Now I – I like animals. One 

of my things in college was herpetology. I saw this there. 

My dog – I got this Rottweiler who wouldn’t hurt a soul, and 

he’s there, and he’s looking at this thing blown up, and he’s 

looking at me, and he’s just really puzzled.

This was right after I got out – out of Mercy Hospital. 

And I’m sitting on my stoop, and out comes Mr. Toad. And 

he would sit with me at night, and I started imagining this 

dialogue between me and Mr. Toad. And Mr. Toad wants to 

get even for the death of his friend . . . .

Soboroff further testified that he used the title “Target for Tonight” 

because “Toads come out at night.” Soboroff also stated that he had 

suffered a closed head injury and for the last twelve years had been 

seeing a psychologist, Dr. Frank Gersch, but had not been prescribed 

any medications by him.

The case was submitted to the jury. In the marshalling 

instruction, the jury members were told they had to find the following 

elements to convict Soboroff:

1. On or about November 12, 2007, Defendant threatened to 

place a destructive substance in the water supply for the 

city of Calamus, Iowa.

2. The destructive substance was of a type that would 

endanger persons or property.

3. Defendant made the threats willfully and unlawfully.

A jury instruction, to which Soboroff objected, defined “destructive” 

as meaning “damaging, harmful, detrimental or injurious.” Another 

instruction, to which Soboroff did not object, defined “threaten” to mean 

“intimidate, bully, pressure, menace, warn, terrorize or make threats.”

On March 11, 2008, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Soboroff 

was sentenced to a term of incarceration not to exceed five years. See

Iowa Code § 902.9(5). The sentence was suspended, and Soboroff was 

placed on probation for two years. See id. § 907.3(3).
8

Soboroff appeals. He contends there is insufficient evidence to 

sustain his conviction because section 712.8, which is part of the “arson” 

chapter of the Iowa Code (chapter 712), applies only to threats or 

attempts involving materials that might cause fires or explosions, not to 

materials whose harmful effects occur when they are consumed within 

the human body. He further alleges his counsel was ineffective for: 

(1) failing to move for a judgment of acquittal on the grounds that the 

State failed to prove Soboroff made a “true threat,” i.e., a threat that 

would have been interpreted by a reasonable person as such; (2) failing 

to request a jury instruction defining the legal requirements of a “true 

threat”; and (3) failing to call Dr. Gersch as a witness.

II. Standard of Review.

We review challenges to the sufficiency of the evidence for the 

correction of errors at law. State v. Hennings, 791 N.W.2d 828, 832 

(Iowa 2010). We will uphold the jury’s verdict if supported by substantial 

evidence. State v. McCullah, 787 N.W.2d 90, 93 (Iowa 2010). 

“Substantial evidence is evidence that ‘would convince a rational trier of 

fact the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.’ ” Id. (quoting 

State v. Jorgensen, 758 N.W.2d 830, 834 (Iowa 2008)). We view the 

evidence in the light most favorable to the State, including all legitimate 

inferences and presumptions that may fairly and reasonably be deduced 

from the record. Hennings, 791 N.W.2d at 832–33. The evidence must 

at least raise a fair inference of guilt and do more than raise mere 

suspicion, speculation, or conjecture. McCullah, 787 N.W.2d at 93. To 

the extent the insufficiency claim involves the district court’s 

construction of a statute, our review remains for the correction of errors 

at law. Id.
9

III. Applicability of Section 712.8 to Thorazine in Drinking 

Water.

Iowa Code section 712.8 provides:

Any person who threatens to place or attempts to 

place any incendiary or explosive device or material, or any 

destructive substance or device in any place where it will 

endanger persons or property, commits a class “D” felony.

Soboroff maintains he did not violate section 712.8 because 

Thorazine is not a “destructive substance.” Soboroff insists that the term 

“destructive substance” as used in the second part of section 712.8 

should be limited to items that might be used to commit the crime of 

arson as defined in section 712.1. He urges that “destructive substance” 

should be construed as something similar to “incendiary or explosive”

material as referenced in the first part of section 712.8. By contrast, the 

State argues Thorazine was a “destructive substance or device” in this 

case because it could ruin the water supply and endanger people. 

The primary goal in interpreting a statute is to ascertain and give 

effect to the legislature’s intent. State v. Anderson, 782 N.W.2d 155, 158

(Iowa 2010). When determining legislative intent, we look first to the 

language of the statute. State v. Sluyter, 763 N.W.2d 575, 581 (Iowa 

2009). We also consider “ ‘the statute’s “subject matter, the object 

sought to be accomplished, the purpose to be served, underlying policies, 

remedies provided, and the consequences of various interpretations.” ’ ” 

State v. Dohlman, 725 N.W.2d 428, 431 (Iowa 2006) (quoting Cox v. State, 

686 N.W.2d 209, 213 (Iowa 2004)). Legislative intent is gleaned from the 

words chosen by the legislature, not what it should or might have said. 

State v. Stone, 764 N.W.2d 545, 549 (Iowa 2009). When a statutory

definition is absent, “ ‘[w]e may refer to prior decisions of this court and 

others, similar statutes, dictionary definitions, and common usage’ to 
10

determine its meaning.” State v. Shanahan, 712 N.W.2d 121, 142 (Iowa 

2006) (quoting State v. Kellogg, 542 N.W.2d 514, 516 (Iowa 1996)).

We assess a “ ‘statute in its entirety, not just isolated words or 

phrases,’ and we will seek to interpret it so that no part of it is rendered 

redundant or irrelevant.” McCullah, 787 N.W.2d at 94 (quoting State v. 

Gonzalez, 718 N.W.2d 304, 308 (Iowa 2006)). We strive for “ ‘an 

interpretation that is reasonable, best achieves the statute’s purpose,

and avoids absurd results.’ ” State v. Spencer, 737 N.W.2d 124, 130 

(Iowa 2007) (quoting State v. Bower, 725 N.W.2d 435, 442 (Iowa 2006)). 

The General Assembly has not told us what they meant by 

“destructive substance or device.” But the word “destructive” is broad. It 

is defined by one dictionary as “having the capability, property, or effect 

of destroying.” Webster’s Third New International Dictionary 615 (unabr. 

ed. 2002). “Destroy” is then defined as: “to ruin the structure, organic 

existence, or condition of.” Id. 

Many things are thus potentially “destructive.” The statute does 

not limit the definition to substances that cause harm through a 

chemical reaction outside the human body, as opposed to a metabolic 

reaction within it. Destruction can result from contamination as well as 

from burning or wrecking. See 18 U.S.C. § 31(a)(3) (2006) (defining 

“destructive substance” to mean “an explosive substance, flammable 

material, infernal machine, or other chemical, mechanical, or radioactive 

device or matter of a combustible, contaminative, corrosive, or explosive 

nature”) (emphasis added); United States v. Jones, 308 F.3d 748, 749–50 

(7th Cir. 2002) (holding that real anthrax spores would have been a 

“destructive substance” within the meaning of this statute and, therefore, 

an individual who staged phony anthrax incidents violated the federal 

“Bomb Hoax Act”).
11

Soboroff’s argument also runs contrary to the principle that we try 

to avoid construing statutory language as superfluous. See Iowa 

Code § 4.4(2); State v. Pickett, 671 N.W.2d 866, 870 (Iowa 2003) (stating 

statutes are interpreted in a manner to avoid rendering any part of the 

enactment superfluous). If the second part of section 712.8 were limited 

to the kinds of materials covered by the first part, there would be no need 

for it. In fact, the second part is worded as an alternative to the first 

part. Threats involving “any incendiary or explosive device or material, or

any destructive substance or device,” are prohibited. Iowa Code § 712.8 

(emphasis added); Cole v. Laucamp, 213 N.W.2d 532, 535 (Iowa 1973) 

(“[T]he word ‘or’ . . . has a commonly accepted and well-known meaning. 

In ordinary usage it signifies an alternative . . . .”). Hence, we do not 

discern within the statutory language a basis for limiting its scope to 

materials that might cause fires or explosions; rather, we see the 

opposite. Some materials are destructive but not incendiary or explosive; 

some incendiary materials might not be considered destructive; but 

regardless, the legislature intended that all be covered when there was a 

threat or attempt to place them in a location where they would endanger 

persons or property.

It is true that section 712.8 is part of a chapter entitled “Arson,” 

and what Soboroff did would not have been considered a threat to 

commit common law arson. Veverka v. Cash, 318 N.W.2d 447, 450 (Iowa 

1982) (noting that the common law definition of arson required a “willful 

and malicious burning”). Section 712.8’s presence in the arson chapter, 

however, is largely a historical accident. When the threats statute was 

first enacted in 1967, it was placed in chapter 697, entitled, “Injuries by 

Explosives—Bomb Threats.” See 1967 Iowa Acts ch. 412, § 2 (codified at 

Iowa Code § 697.7 (1971)). Later, during the complete revision of the 
12

Iowa Criminal Code effective January 1, 1978, the threats statute was 

modified and moved to the arson chapter. 1976 Iowa Acts ch. 1245, ch. 

1, § 1208 (codified at Iowa Code § 712.8 (Supp. 1977)).2

Thus, the present arson chapter (712) includes not only sections 

712.1 through 712.6, which appear to be arson-related laws that address 

only fires, explosions, and “incendiary or explosive” materials and 

devices, but also sections 712.7 and 712.8, covering “false reports” and 

“threats.” Unlike the preceding provisions in chapter 712, sections 712.7 

and 712.8 apply to materials that are “destructive,” as well as those that 

are “incendiary or explosive.” If anything, the difference in wording 

between sections 712.1 through 712.6, on the one hand, and sections 

712.7 and 712.8, on the other, not to mention their separate ancestry, 

supports a broader interpretation of the latter provisions. 

For these reasons, we agree with the district court that section 

712.8 can cover a threat to put large quantities of a psychotropic drug 

into a town’s water supply. This kind of threat, like a threat to release

radioactive—but not incendiary or explosive—matter, can be viewed by a 

fact finder as involving a “destructive substance.” Substantial evidence 

therefore supports a jury finding that Soboroff’s statements on his 

website related to the placement of a destructive substance in a place 

where it would endanger people.

 2Because of this history, we believe it would be inappropriate to draw an 

inference about what section 712.8 means from the chapter in which it is located. Cf. 

Rolfe State Bank v. Gunderson, 794 N.W.2d 561, 567 (Iowa 2011) (expressing the view 

that a provision added to a division of the Iowa Banking Act dealing with bank mergers 

was meant to apply to bank mergers and not to bank transactions more generally).
13

IV. Sufficiency of Evidence that Soboroff Made a “True 

Threat.”

Soboroff next argues his counsel was constitutionally ineffective 

when he failed to move for a judgment of acquittal on the ground that the 

evidence failed to show his website communications were a “true threat,” 

i.e., “understandable as a threat by a reasonable person of ordinary 

intelligence.” State v. Milner, 571 N.W.2d 7, 10 (Iowa 1997). Soboroff 

must make this appellate argument under the ineffective assistance 

rubric because, although his counsel argued for a judgment of acquittal 

based on the lack of a “destructive substance,” his motion in the district 

court did not claim the absence of a “true threat.” See State v. Crone, 

545 N.W.2d 267, 270 (Iowa 1996) (holding a motion for judgment of 

acquittal does not preserve error when counsel does not make reference 

to the specific elements of the crime on which the evidence was claimed 

to be insufficient). Before us, Soboroff now contends that no reasonable 

juror could conclude he had made a “true threat” and that his slideshow 

was not meant to be taken seriously.

To establish ineffective assistance of counsel, Soboroff must 

demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence: (1) his counsel failed to 

perform an essential duty, and (2) prejudice resulted. State v. Vance, 

790 N.W.2d 775, 785 (Iowa 2010); see also Strickland v. Washington, 466 

U.S. 668, 687, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 2064, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674, 693 (1984).

Generally, claims of ineffective assistance of counsel are preserved 

for postconviction relief proceedings. State v. Biddle, 652 N.W.2d 191, 

203 (Iowa 2002). We do this so an adequate record of the claim can be 

developed and the attorney charged with providing ineffective assistance 

may have an opportunity to respond to defendant’s claims. Id. However, 

if we determine the record is adequate, we may resolve the claim on 
14

direct appeal. State v. Johnson, 784 N.W.2d 192, 198 (Iowa 2010). We 

believe the record is adequate to address this claim. We decide de novo 

whether Soboroff’s trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective. State v. 

Canal, 773 N.W.2d 528, 530 (Iowa 2009).

In Milner, we were called upon to review section 712.8 in the 

context of an angry citizen who had been denied unemployment benefits 

and repeatedly said he would drive his truck to the Department of 

Employment Services Office and blow it up. 571 N.W.2d at 9. The 

incident occurred shortly after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and 

Milner at one point referred to that bombing. Id. In upholding Milner’s 

conviction for violating section 712.8, we held the statute covered only 

“true threats,” that is, statements that would be viewed as a threat by a 

reasonable person of ordinary intelligence when the statement is viewed 

in light of the surrounding circumstances. Id. at 10. We made clear that 

the statute “does not reach expressions that a reasonable person would 

understand as a joke, idle talk, or mere statements of political 

hyperbole.” Id. In addition to finding sufficient evidence to support

Milner’s conviction, we also held that section 712.8 was not 

constitutionally infirm, since it extended only to “true threats” and such 

threats were not protected by the First Amendment. Id. at 13–14.

We do not believe Soboroff’s trial counsel failed to perform an 

essential duty here. Even if he had moved for a judgment of acquittal on 

the ground that his client had not made true threats, the motion would 

have had to be denied. In this case, the State presented “sufficient 

evidence for a reasonable jury to find ‘a reasonable person of ordinary 

intelligence would interpret [Soboroff’s] statement as a threat . . . in light 

of the surrounding circumstances.’ ” State v. Lane, 743 N.W.2d 178,

183–84 (Iowa 2007) (quoting Milner, 571 N.W.2d at 10).
15

Although Soboroff claimed at trial that his “Target for Tonight” 

slideshow was not to be taken literally, a reasonable jury could have 

found otherwise. The initial slide showed a photograph of the water 

tower with a specific comment about contaminating the city water supply 

with Thorazine. Next, there was a photograph of a toad with an 

indication that “with his help [Soboroff] has procured 500 pounds of 

Thorizine (sic).” The toad photograph could have been viewed as a 

reference to a confidential source of the material. Several candid shots of 

citizens followed, with the last slide including the statement, “I have 

decided that they could use some medication.” The State’s most 

compelling piece of evidence, perhaps, was Levien’s testimony that, after 

he saw the slideshow, he flushed out the city’s entire water supply, a 

process that took five to six hours. This shows, at a minimum, that he

took the threat seriously. 

Hence, the district court properly submitted the section 712.8 

charge to the jury, and Soboroff’s counsel was not ineffective for failing to 

move to acquit on the ground that a reasonable person could not have 

viewed Soboroff’s statements as a threat. See State v. Dudley, 766 

N.W.2d 606, 620 (Iowa 2009) (“[C]ounsel has no duty to raise an issue 

that has no merit.”).

V. Jury Instruction Defining “Threat.”

Soboroff also contends his counsel was ineffective for not 

requesting a jury instruction that defined threat and made it clear to the 

jury that he could be found guilty only if he committed a “true threat.” 

The State concedes that such an explanation should have been provided 

to the jury. However, it argues that Soboroff did not suffer prejudice, 

because the evidence that a reasonable person would view Soboroff’s 

statements as a threat was overwhelming. 
16

We disagree. While there was substantial evidence of a real threat, 

there was also evidence from which a jury could have concluded that 

Soboroff’s statements were “idle talk.” Milner, 571 N.W.2d at 10. The 

State’s own expert testified that Thorazine is available only by 

prescription and in small quantities. It would be “near[ly] impossible” to 

obtain 500 pounds of it. Someone who claimed to have such a quantity 

might not have deserved to be taken seriously. Also, there was no 

evidence that Soboroff intentionally disseminated his statements to 

anyone, apart from putting them on his website. And, although it is a 

double-edged sword, Soboroff’s reputation for instability could have 

supported a jury finding that a reasonable person would not take his 

statements seriously (although it could have potentially warranted the 

opposite conclusion). In short, had the jury been instructed on the 

“reasonable person” standard for illegal threats, we think there is a 

reasonable probability the outcome of Soboroff’s trial would have been 

different. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S. Ct. at 2068, 80 L. Ed. 2d at 

698; State v. Palmer, 791 N.W.2d 840, 850 (Iowa 2010) (noting also that 

the reasonable probability test for prejudice requires only a showing that 

the probability of a different result is “sufficient to undermine confidence 

in the outcome”) (quoting Strickland).

Accordingly, we hold that Soboroff received ineffective assistance of 

counsel when his attorney failed to request an instruction that defined 

“threats” for the jury as statements that would be understandable by a 

reasonable person of ordinary intelligence as threats, in light of the 

surrounding circumstances. Milner, 571 N.W.2d at 10. Because section 

712.8 criminalizes a category of speech, without any conduct 

requirement, see id. at 13 (noting that section 712.8 targets speech), it is 

important for the jury to be advised of its limited, proper scope. This 
17

insures that defendants will be found guilty only for making statements 

not protected by the First Amendment. Id. at 13–14 (stating “the First 

Amendment does not protect speech that constitutes a true threat” and, 

when interpreted as limited to true threats, section 712.8 is not 

overbroad). Our views on this subject coincide with those of a number of 

other jurisdictions. See State v. Cook, 947 A.2d 307, 317–18 (Conn. 

2008) (finding the omission of a “true threat” instruction required 

remand for new trial to ensure punishment was not based on 

constitutionally protected speech); State v. Martins, 102 P.3d 1034, 

1042–43 (Haw. 2004) (same); Abbott v. State, 989 A.2d 795, 823–26 (Md. 

Ct. Spec. App. 2010) (same); State v. Schaler, 236 P.3d 858, 865–67 

(Wash. 2010) (same); State v. Perkins, 626 N.W.2d 762, 772–73 (Wis. 

2001) (same). We therefore reverse Soboroff’s conviction and remand for 

a new trial.3

VI. Conclusion.

For the foregoing reasons, we find sufficient evidence to sustain 

Soboroff’s conviction for making threats in violation of section 712.8. 

However, because the jury was not instructed that the threats had to be 

understandable by a reasonable person of ordinary intelligence as such, 

Soboroff received ineffective assistance of counsel and is entitled to a new 

trial.

REVERSED AND REMANDED FOR NEW TRIAL.

 3Soboroff also argues on appeal that his counsel was ineffective for not calling as 

a witness Dr. Gersch, Soboroff’s attending psychologist. In light of our disposition of 

the appeal, we need not reach this claim.