ibex

Report: Anthrax suspect commits suicide - Security - MSNBC.com Does it strike anybody else here as strange that the Feds would let this guy's lawyers know that charges were forth coming, giving him the chance to flee or fall on his own sword? I'm sure this will keep the conspiracy wheels spinning like mad, and that's completely understandable, but I have to ask, why should this asshole get preferential treatment? If he had been an Arab American or a Muslim of any ethnic background, the news media and the Feds would be going apeshit right now.

Heretic

I doubt it's to let accomplices off the hook. More likely it's to leave the perception that the Anthrax mailings were terrorist related.

Just like all those "terror" alerts during the election.

Next thing you know some zoro with a Kabuki mask will run around nailing people and leaving rare breeds of roses.

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ibex

Right now, I'll just work with what we all know, and that's the government's tendency to immunize itself from law suits. Had this guy gone to trial or copped a plea, the victims or their relatives would have wanted answers and rightfully so. But like I said, had he been non white and Muslim, they would have used this as total propoganda, probably trying a false link to Iran.

Heretic

If the whole of the right wing was out to kill Dan Rather don't you think they'd try several times rathe than just once?

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"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!

ibex

If you could expound on that point more I'd appreciate it.

Ptech

Ibex

I see your point, but it is common in investigations that lawyers get involved and work with the US Attorney in the case. Such action is ultimately in the interests of justice, so that part of it does not surprise me.

It has long been my position that the purpose of the anthrax attacks was to terrorize and blackmail members of congress so that the USA Patriot Act would be passed. It worked, and the act was passed at like 3 AM or something, with no debate and only a tiny minority in both houses voting no.

Hatfill was a scapegoat, and ultimately proved it and was compensated in dollars. Excellent.

This new guy was probably just an attempt by the govt to find some other scapegoat. He chose eternal bliss over a trial. I can't say that I blame him.

And the public will never know, but maybe it wasn't suicide.

HarperLee

I have some familiarity with this, and it is common in federal investigations for the U. S. Attorney to communicate with the attorney of someone soon to be indicted, unless there is a flight risk. I guess in this case there was a suicide risk.

(In some cases this works to the benefit of the defendant -- he can appear on his own recognizance to enter a plea and avoid
a dramatic arrest.)

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ibex

We never will know and that's what is so frustrating. While I can appreciate Harper's point, that it's common in Federal cases for US attorneys to notify the defendant's attorney of pending charges, this still sticks in my craw, given the tendency of the Bush DOJ to ride roughshod over normal protocol. This guy comitted an act of terrorism, and I maintain the possibility that had he been a non white Muslim, he would have been tossed down a rat hole as an enemy combatant.

Ptech

Well you don't KNOW that he committed an act of terrorism.

It has been suggested through innuendo that he did.

My view is that about 95% of the stories in the MSM are intended to have SOME KIND of propaganda value that the government wants.

If that is the case with this story, your statement indicates that you have already found him guilty, without any sort of trial. Just by mere suggestion.

Heretic

The Anthrax letters were aimed for Dan Rather and Tom Dachle. So Irvin was obviously a right winger waging an attack on people whose politics he didn't like. But he wasn't alone there would've been more attacks after.

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"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!