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The Duley link in the Ivins saga

By Lawrence B. Ebert, Esq.

A Washington Post piece titled After Anthrax Scientist's Threats, Counselor Faced a Hard Choice describes Jean C. Duley's deliberations on July 10 to inform the Frederick Police Department to report Ivins's threats during a group therapy session on July 9.

A couple of points.

#1. Although there was talk about "patient confidentiality," Duley is not a psychiatrist, a psychologist or even a social worker; she is an addictions counselor who earns $20 an hour. IPBiz wonders "how low" on the hierarchy one can go to invoke a right to confidentiality?

#2. Duley was worried about her safety. The article states:

After Ivins was released from the hospital two weeks later, Duley said, she was so frightened that she asked the FBI for protection. She said an agent basically told her that she was on her own.

"The agent said, 'We are going to be watching him, we can't be watching you,' " according to Duley.

AND

On July 23, Duley said, the FBI notified her that Ivins was being released from the hospital the next day. In a panic, she asked the FBI for protection, but the agent she spoke to suggested she petition for a restraining order. The next morning, on July 24, Duley and a lawyer went to the county courthouse in Fredrick to fill out a peace order petition.

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IPBiz had earlier noted a patent angle to the Ivins business.

Full post as published by IPBiz on August 10, 2008 (boomark / email).