There is more to this story

When I first heard that the prime suspect in the Anthrax mailings was dead, my first thought is: "Pretty convenient. The dead guy did it. Our most embarrassing case is now closed."

The Washington Post article from Friday, August 1, 2008 raises more questions than it answers. Here is the official time line from the FBI.

1. Bruce E. Ivins begins working at Fort Detrick biological weapons lab in 1972 as a vaccination specialist.
2. Bruce E. Ivins passes all psychological screenings required for Fort Detrick personnel 1972-present.
3. October of 2001, a letter containing weaponized spores of Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes the deadly disease anthrax, was opened in Daschle's office at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.
4. In December 2001, Dr. Ives is part of the team that identifies the strain of weaponized Anthrax contained in the letters to Senators Daschle and others had originated at Fort Detrick, MD
5. In January, 2002 Ives suspects the weaponized anthrax from Fort Detrick which was used the anthrax mailing attacks has been mis-handled and spores have escaped into the larger environment of Fort Detrick. From the Washington Post article:
   In early 2002, without notifying his supervisors, Ivins began sampling suspicious areas in the Detrick lab space that he believed might be contaminated with anthrax. He took unauthorized samples from the laboratory containment areas and later acknowledged to Army officials that this was a violation of protocol.
   
   Ivins tested dozens of samples from a changing room, his own office and a passbox through which anthrax was sent into a secured laboratory. He reported that the passbox contained heavy growth of Ames-strain anthrax, a disease-causing form of the agent that had been found in the Daschle letter. He said he also found it in his personal office.
   
   Ivins informed his supervisors of his findings, and more extensive tests were conducted.
6. June 22, 2002, the home of Dr. Steven Hatfill is searched.
7. In March 2003, Army scientist Bruce E. Ivins accepted the Defense Department's highest honor for civilian performance for helping to resurrect a controversial vaccine that could protect against the deadly bacteria.
8. On August 26, 2003 Steven Hatfill files suit against the FBI, DOJ, and John Ashcroft
9. On March 7, 2008, the US courts order, Toni Locy the USA Today reporter to name names at the FBI and DOJ in the matter of Hatfill v Attorney General Michael Mukasey or personally pay $5,000 per day.
10. In June 27, 2008 the DOJ settles for millions in order to make Steven Hatfill go away.
11. Date unknown, a grand jury is convened on the matter of the anthrax mailing attacks and that grand jury issues subpoena to Jean C. Duley
12. July 24, 2008, Dr. Ivins therapist, Jean C. Duley, asked a Frederick judge for a protective order against Dr, Ivins, saying he had repeatedly threatened her. In the request for a protective order, Ms. Duley asserts:
    "Client has a history dating to his graduate days of homicidal threats, actions, plans, threats & actions toward therapist. Dr. David Irwin his psychiatrist called him homicidal, sociopathic with clear intentions will testify with other details FBI involved, currently under investigation & will be charged with 5 capital murders. I have been subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury August 1, 2008 in Washington, D.C."
    In an nearly unprecedented move the FBI and DOJ have shared details of the sealed grand jury proceeding with Duley.
13. August 1, 2008, Dr. Bruce Ivins is dead of an overdose of Codeine and Tylenol.

So, if I have the FBI story straight, the official story is:

• A specialist in the detection of anthrax and the vaccination against anthrax, but with no actual access to weaponized anthrax, poisoned 5 people and injured 17 others with weaponized anthrax pilfered from his employer so he could get his moribund anthrax vaccine program going again.
• In the meantime, the FBI wastes 7 years investigating Steven Hatfill (the wrong guy).
• While the wrong guy (Hatfill) is being vilified in the press and investigated, the right guy (Dr. Ivins) has been studying where the weaponized anthrax used in the mailings is found within the Fort Detrick facility.
• The right guy (Dr. Ivins) reports those locations and findings to his superiors.
• JUST as the wrong guy (Dr. Hatfill) gets the proper squeeze on a key witness, the FBI and DOJ settle with Hatfill for just under 6 million.
• Five weeks later the right guy (Dr. Ivins) is dead with no autopsy report by an overdose of a prescription-only painkiller, Tylenol-3. (BTW, which doctor wrote that script?)
• FBI declares Amerithrax case official closed.

I don't know what it is, but, there is much more to this story than the official fable presented above.