Iowa City woman accused of threatening student newspaper employees

IOWA CITY - An Iowa City woman is accused of hurling profanity-laced threats at student journalists at the University of Iowa.

According to University of Iowa police criminal complaints, on Dec. 1, 65-year-old Melyssa Jo Kelly called the offices of the Daily Iowan newspaper. During the conversation, which happened around 9:20 p.m., Kelly allegedly insulted a student employee and made threats against the staff.

'You (expletive) are dead,” Kelly is quoted as saying in criminal complaints. 'Dig a (expletive) hole. You're dead.”

Kelly allegedly told the victim that 'you need to (expletive) die” and that she would come to the Daily Iowan offices and '(expletive) her up.”

Police said Daily Iowan staff asked Kelly to stop harassing them and no longer call. Kelly continued to call and left three voicemails, 'making similar threats and harassing statements,” police said.

According to court records, Kelly now faces six counts of first-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.

Kelly has several arrests on her record related to causing disturbances. In a widely circulated video, Kelly streamed her interactions with Cedar Rapids police officers last November during which she was removed from a coffee shop.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com