April 2013 ricin letters
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| 2013 ricin letters | |
|---|---|
Ricin
|
|
| Location | Washington, District of Columbia, US |
| Date | April 16–17, 2013 |
| Target | Sen. Roger Wicker, President Barack Obama, Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland |
|
Attack type
|
Bioterrorism, attempted poisoning, attempted assassination |
| Weapons | Ricin |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injured | 0 |
On April 16, 2013, an envelope that preliminarily tested positive for ricin, a highly toxic protein, was intercepted at the US Capitol's off-site mail facility in Washington, D.C. According to reports, the envelope was addressed to the office of Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker.[1] On April 17, 2013, an envelope addressed to President of the United States Barack Obama preliminarily tested positive for ricin.[2]
Both letters, which were mailed from Memphis, Tennessee,[3] included the phrases "No one wanted to listen to me before. There are still 'Missing Pieces.' Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone must die. This must stop. To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance." and "I am KC and I approve this message."[4][5][6]
A third letter mailed to a Mississippi judge, Lee County Justice Court Judge Sadie Holland, that was received and opened on April 10, contained similar language and was sent for testing.[3] The letters tested positive for ricin during FBI testing.[7]
Early suspect released
On April 17, 2013, FBI agents detained a Corinth, Mississippi, man on suspicion of mailing the ricin-laced letters.[3][4][8] All charges were dropped however, and he was released on April 23, 2013. Federal investigators reported that they could find no evidence linking him to the letters.[9] An FBI agent testified that no ricin or precursors were found in the man's home, nor did a preliminary forensic analysis of his computer reveal anything related to ricin. The defense attorney claimed in court that his client was being framed, possibly by a man with whom he had been feuding online.[10]
Second arrest
On April 23, agents in hazardous materials suits searched the home of a Tupelo, Mississippi, man in connection with the ricin investigation.[11] On April 27, this man, identified as Everett Dutschke, was arrested in connection with the case.[12] Dutschke was out on $25,000 bail for unrelated state criminal charges of April 1, 2013.[13] Under suspicion since the release of the prior suspect, Dutschke denied the allegations through his lawyer.[13] Saying that new information had been discovered in the case, authorities who have had his house under surveillance arrested Dutschke in the early hours of April 27.[13] Later that day, Dutschke was charged with attempted use of a biological weapon.[14] On June 3, 2013, Dutschke was indicted by a federal grand jury on five counts.[15] He was indicted for producing and using the deadly toxin as a weapon, and using the mail to threaten President Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Lee County Judge Sadie Holland.[15]
In May 2014, Dutschke pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.[16]
See also
- Incidents involving ricin
- Boston Marathon bombings, a terrorist attack that was mistakenly connected to the letters.
References
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