UPDATE: Charges Dropped For Man Accused Of Sending Ricin to Obama
UPDATED | April 23 3:26 p.m. PST: Authorities dropped charges against Paul Kevin Curtis Tuesday as officials search another man's home in connection to the case.
An Oxford federal court document said that Curtis was released from custody without prejudice, but the charge could be re-instated if prosecutors choose.
The Mississippi man claims that he was framed. This week in court, the FBI testified that no evidence of ricin was found in the search of Curtis' home.
UPDATED | April 18 11:35 a.m. PST: Paul Kevin Curtis' attorney says her client "maintains 100 percent that he did not do this." Chrisi R. McCoy says she knows her client and his family personally, and it is hard to believe the charges being brought against him.
It is still unsure of whether McCoy will seek a hearing to determine if Curtis is mentally able to stand trial.
ORIGINAL | April 18 10:00 a.m. PST: Officials arrested and charged a Mississippi man for mailing letters containing ricin to President Obama and other national leaders.
Paul Kevin Curtis faces two federal charges for threatening the President and other public officials. If found guilty, the suspect could face up to 15 years in prison.
Reports indicate that letters were sent to President Obama, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and a judge in Mississippi with the message: "Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone must die."
He also wrote in the letters that he wanted to "expose various parties within the government, FBI, and police departments" for what he believed was "a conspiracy to ruin my reputation in the community as well as an ongoing effort to break down the foundation I worked more than 20 year to build in the country music scene." He also mentioned that he believed he uncovered a government conspiracy to sell human body parts on the black market.
He signed off his letters with: "This is KC & I approve this message."
A private lab verified that the toxin in those letters was in fact ricin.
Authorities said that there is no sign that there is a connection between the Boston Marathon bombings and the letters.
The 45-year-old was arrested at his home in Corinth, MS
The Associated Press contributed to the reporting of this story.
