Nancy Grace, Jane Velez-Mitchell ID’d as victims of online threats over Arias trial coverage

PHOENIX – HLN anchors Nancy Grace and Jane Velez-Mitchell have been identified as the targets of online threats that Arizona authorities say a man made because he was upset with their coverage of the Jodi Arias trial.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio announced the arrest of David Lee Simpson, of Bath, N.Y., earlier this week. Arpaio says the 48-year-old was infatuated with Arias and became upset by Grace and Velez-Mitchell’s comments about the case.

Arpaio originally declined to release the anchors’ names because Turner Broadcasting had asked that they be withheld. But he released a statement Wednesday identifying Grace and Velez-Mitchell.

The sheriff’s office says the anchors are being identified now because a news organization has already named them as the victims.

A Turner Broadcasting official declined to comment.

Records show Simpson doesn’t have a lawyer yet.