Government bars release of ricin suspect

KING5.com ^ | 07/01/2002 | The Associated Press

[grimalkin]

SPOKANE - A federal prosecutor Monday asked a court to review a magistrate's order granting bail to a Spokane Valley man charged with making a biological weapon.

Kenneth R. Olsen was to have been released from the Spokane County Jail at 10:30 a.m. Monday, but the motion by Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl Hicks automatically stayed the order and barred his release. Hicks asked a U.S. District Court judge to review the order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno, which would have granted Olsen conditional release on a $25,000 appearance bond.

Hicks argued Friday that Olsen's release would represent a danger to the community.

Olsen, 47, has been jailed since June 19, when he was arrested and charged with knowingly producing a biological agent for use as a weapon. Conviction carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Prosecutors contend Olsen was having an affair and made toxic ricin to kill his wife. Through his lawyer, Olsen has said he made the deadly toxin from the castor bean plant as a Boy Scout project.

[conservative cat]

Bump.

[martin_fierro]

Through his lawyer, Olsen has said he made the deadly toxin from the castor bean plant as a Boy Scout project.

Ricin is one of the most poisonous naturally occuring substances known.

A Boy Scout project. Riiiiiiiight.

[RLK]

I thought ricen was a type of mold. I know the soviets used it in at least one assassination. It produces flu-like symptoms in four days followed by death.

[martin_fierro]

I know the soviets used it in at least one assassination.

Yup ... that "little-steel-ball-injected-via-an-umbrella" bit. As the linked article says, it's derived from the castor plant and is almost tailor-made to kill humans.