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Agents Arrest a Second Mississippi Man In Ricin Letters Case Shifting Focus, Federal Agents Arrest New Suspect in Ricin Case
(35 minutes later)
A former taekwondo instructor was taken into custody early Saturday by federal authorities in Mississippi, accused of mailing letters containing the poison ricin to the president, a United States senator and a local judge. A former tae kwon do instructor was taken into custody early Saturday by federal authorities in Mississippi, accused of mailing letters containing the poison ricin to the president, a United States senator and a local judge.
The arrest of J. Everett Dutschke, 41, in TupeloF, is the second in two weeks in connection with the letters. An earlier suspect, an Elvis impersonator named Paul Kevin Curtis, also of Tupelo, was released after no evidence was found linking him to the letters; Mr. Curtis’s attorney said during a hearing in federal court that Mr. Dutschke appeared to have framed Mr. Curtis. The arrest of J. Everett Dutschke, 41, of Tupelo is the second in two weeks in connection with the letters. An earlier suspect, an Elvis impersonator named Paul Kevin Curtis, also of Tupelo, was released after no evidence was found linking him to the letters. Mr. Curtis’s lawyer had said during a hearing in federal court that Mr. Dutschke appeared to have framed Mr. Curtis.
Deborah Madden, a spokeswoman for the F.B.I. in Jackson said Mr. Dutschke had been arrested at his home shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday. A law enforcement official in Tupelo said his arrest was uneventful. Deborah Madden, a spokeswoman for the F.B.I. in Jackson, said Mr. Dutschke had been arrested at his home shortly before 1 a.m. A law enforcement official in Tupelo said his arrest was uneventful.
“He walked out and they took him into custody,” said Sgt. James Hood of the Tupelo Police Department. “No problem or anything.” “He walked out, and they took him into custody,” said Sgt. James Hood of the Tupelo Police Department. “No problem or anything.”
An attorney for Mr. Dutschke did not immediately return a message on Saturday seeking comment. A lawyer for Mr. Dutschke did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Saturday.
The arrest is the latest chapter in a bizarre case that began during the tense week of the Boston Marathon bombing. Authorities had announced that letters addressed to President Obama and Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, had been found to contain a “suspicious granular substance” later determined to be ricin, a deadly poison. A similar letter with the substance was also sent to Judge Sadie Holland of the Lee County Justice Court. The arrest is the latest chapter in a bizarre case that began during the tense week of the Boston Marathon bombing. The authorities announced that letters addressed to President Obama and Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, had been found to contain a “suspicious granular substance,” which was later determined to be ricin, a deadly poison. A similar letter with the substance was also sent to Judge Sadie Holland of Lee County Justice Court.
The letters spoke of “Missing Pieces,” and were signed “I am KC and I approve this message,” both standard parts of e-mail messages sent to numerous public officials by Mr. Curtis, who had been on a one-man campaign for more than a decade to expose what he alleged was an illicit organ-harvesting scheme at a Tupelo hospital. The letters spoke of “Missing Pieces” and were signed “I am KC and I approve this message,” both standard parts of e-mail messages sent to numerous public officials by Mr. Curtis, who had been on a one-man campaign for more than a decade to expose what he alleged was an illicit organ-harvesting scheme at a Tupelo hospital.
Mr. Curtis was arrested on April 17 and while in custody, federal agents searched his home — even, according to Mr. Curtis’s stepfather, tearing up the bed and the ceiling — as well a former wife’s house, but found no evidence tying him to the letters. Mr. Curtis was arrested on April 17. While he was in custody, federal agents searched his home — tearing up the bed and the ceiling, according to Mr. Curtis’s stepfather — as well as the home of a former wife, but they found no evidence tying him to the letters.
Law enforcement officials said on Saturday that the letters were carefully written to mimic Mr. Curtis’s characteristic phrasing and concerns. While they regretted having arrested a man they now consider innocent, they wanted to move quickly to stop the poisoned letters, one official said. Law enforcement officials said on Saturday that the letters were carefully written to mimic Mr. Curtis’s characteristic phrasing and concerns. While they regretted having arrested a man they now consider innocent, they wanted to move quickly to prevent more poisoned letters from being sent, one official said.
Mr. Curtis’s brother Jack said neither he nor other relatives immediately dismissed the charges as false, given Kevin Curtis’s history of mental illness. Mr. Curtis’s brother Jack said that neither he nor other relatives immediately dismissed the charges as false, given Mr. Curtis’s history of mental illness.
“We could understand, especially with the things that were tied to his initials,” he said. “I could see why somebody would think it was Kevin, but when they said President Obama I thought, ‘Somebody messed up because he likes Obama.’ ” “We could understand, especially with the things that were tied to his initials,” he said. “I could see why somebody would think it was Kevin. But when they said President Obama, I thought, ‘Somebody messed up because he likes Obama.’ ”
The family suggested to authorities that Kevin Curtis might have been framed, and Jack Curtis said he told authorities to look at Mr. Dutschke, who used for work for him and had long had an antagonistic relationship with Kevin; on Monday, in a hearing in federal court, Mr. Curtis’s lawyer mentioned Mr. Dutsckhe by name. Mr. Dutschke and Mr. Curtis had feuded, mostly online, on a variety of topics including their music careers, Kevin Curtis’s admittedly false claim to be a member of Mensa, and Mr. Duscthke’s unwillingness to publish his organ-harvesting allegations about the hospital in a local newsletter. The family suggested to the authorities that Mr. Curtis might have been framed, and Jack Curtis said he told the authorities to look at Mr. Dutschke, who used to for work for him and had long had an antagonistic relationship with Mr. Curtis.
Mr. Dutschke, a bright but often abrasive man who ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature, was arrested this year on charges that he molested three under age girls, one as young as 7. He pleaded not guilty to the charges this month. In a hearing in federal court last Monday, Mr. Curtis’s lawyer mentioned Mr. Dutschke by name. Mr. Dutschke and Mr. Curtis had feuded, mostly online, on a variety of topics, including their music careers, Mr. Curtis’s admittedly false claim of being a member of Mensa, and Mr. Dutschke’s unwillingness to publish the organ-harvesting accusations in a local newsletter.
On Tuesday, Mr. Curtis was released from jail and the charges against him were dropped. At a news conference, Mr. Curtis said he did not blame federal authorities but added that “this past week has been a nightmare for me and my family.” Mr. Dutschke, a bright but often abrasive man who ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature, was arrested this year on charges that he molested three under-age girls, one as young as 7. He pleaded not guilty this month.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, federal agents searched Mr. Dutschke’s home and his former taekwondo school, Tupelo Takewondo Plus. James D. Moore, the prosecuting attorney for Lee County, said that evidence had been found but would not characterize its nature. On Tuesday, Mr. Curtis was released from jail, and the charges against him were dropped. At a news conference, Mr. Curtis said he did not blame the authorities but added that “this past week has been a nightmare for me and my family.”
As he became the focus of the inquiry, Mr. Dutschke denied having anything to do with the ricin letters but tried to keep a low profile, to the point where authorities briefly lost track of him. On Tuesday and Wednesday, federal agents searched Mr. Dutschke’s home and his former tae kwon do school, Tupelo Taekwondo Plus. James D. Moore, the prosecuting attorney for Lee County, said evidence had been found but would not characterize its nature.
The strangeness of the whole series of events was not shocking to some who knew both men. As he became the focus of the inquiry, Mr. Dutschke denied having anything to do with the ricin letters but tried to keep a low profile, to the point where the authorities briefly lost track of him.
“There’s been bad blood between those two for years,” said Mr. Moore, the prosecutor. Of their entanglement in this case, he added, “Hindsight’s 20/20, but knowing these two guys I ain’t surprised.” The strangeness of the whole series of events was not shocking to some who know both men.
“There’s been bad blood between those two for years,” Mr. Moore said. Of their entanglement in this case, he added, “Hindsight’s 20/20, but knowing these two guys, I ain’t surprised.”

Thomas Kaplan and Scott Shane contributed reporting.

Thomas Kaplan and Scott Shane contributed reporting.