Legal News

Report: Prior to Suicide, Ivins Allegedly Threatened Counselor

By Dan Slater

We planned on putting our Bruce Ivins coverage to bed, and finishing the day on an up-note by telling you about a salmonella lawsuit, which we’d still like to do.

In the meantime, however, we’d be remiss by not mentioning this report on the Smoking Gun Web site.

Bruce Ivins in a 2003 photo. (Frederick News Post/Associated Press)

Apparently, Ivins (pictured), the biodefense researcher who committed suicide as federal prosecutors prepared to indict him in connection with the 2001 anthrax attacks, was committed to a Maryland psychiatric hospital last month after making death threats against a counselor. Ivins, 62, had been scheduled to appear yesterday in a Frederick County court in connection with a protective order application filed by Jean Duley, program director of Comprehensive Counseling Associates.

In her July 24 petition, Duley referred to Ivins as a “client” who “has a history dating to his graduate days of homicidal threats, actions, plans, threats & actions towards therapist.” Duley added that Ivins’s psychiatrist called him “homicidal, sociopathic with clear intentions,” and that “FBI involved, currently under investigation & will be charged w/ 5 capital murders. I have been subpoena [sic] to testify before a federal grand jury August 1, 2008 in Washington, D.C.”

On July 25, a sheriff’s deputy sought to serve Ivins with court papers at Fort Detrick, but was advised by an Army official that Ivins “has been barred from the property,” according to a return of service form filed by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (which you can find on the Smoking Gun). The peace order against Ivins was formally dismissed yesterday in light of his death.

We’ve placed a call to Ivins’s attorneys at Venable, whose earlier statement you can find below. We’ll let you know if we hear back.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on August 01, 2008 (boomark / email).