Vegas Cop in Ricin Case Tests Positive for Castor Bean Derivative

fox ^ | March 21, 2008 | AP

[RDTF]

LAS VEGAS — A police officer who went to a motel room where a large quantity of ricin was later found has tested positive for trace amounts of a substance that can be derived from the poison's source, authorities said Thursday.

"We did have one sample that had trace detectible levels of ricinine," said Pat Armour, manager of the Southern Nevada Public Health Laboratory, the local coordinator of sampling in the ricin case.

The male officer has shown no signs of illness or symptoms of ricin poisoning, officials familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the ongoing investigation into the discovery of the vials of ricin and the raw material, castor beans, in the motel room.

KTNV-TV in Las Vegas identified the officer as Jim Mitchell, and aired an interview with his wife, Regina Mitchell. She said she was concerned about the test result.

-snip-

[modyoulater]

vanity. not breaking news.

[GVnana]

What was the outcome with the man who was in a coma? Has he provided an explanation?

[RDTF]

how is it not?

[TheBattman]

rgendorff told his younger brother he believed he had been exposed to the ricin powder. But he also told family members he had no intention of hurting anyone, and that he had the deadly poison for "self-defense."

Ummm... self-defense? What the heck kind of defense is he putting up using poison?

[TheBattman]

Vanity? How so?

[spokeshave]

"What was the outcome with the man who was in a coma? Has he provided an explanation?"

Yeah...he said it was for "personal protection"......snicker.....

I guess this puts him level with Hitler (cyclon B), and Sadam in using WMD to pay off a grudge.

[Slump Tester]

So did he get contaminated, or is he implicated in where it came from or how it got there?

Tinfoil hat time!

[mtbopfuyn]

he also told family members he had no intention of hurting anyone, and that he had the deadly poison for "self-defense."

Well, that sort of backfired, huh.

[HangnJudge]

Maybe the cop ate in the room

[girlangler]

Ping

[cake_crumb]

It sure as heck IS breaking news. Type rationally.

[GVnana]

Yeah...he said it was for "personal protection"......snicker.....

Whaaat? OMG! So this turned out to be a "stupid criminal" story?

[cake_crumb]

"Bergendorff told his younger brother he believed he had been exposed to the ricin powder. But he also told family members he had no intention of hurting anyone, and that he had the deadly poison for 'self-defense.' "

And Obama didn't agree with any of the stuff his mentor taught him for 20 years.

[janetjanet998]

Why is this info just coming out now? They said that no one else in the hotel tested positive for days afterward

[BullDog108]

Who died and made you post police, huh?

This is BREAKING NEWS.

Thanks, RDTF.

[KarlInOhio]

Why is this info just coming out now? They said that no one else in the hotel tested positive for days afterward

The levels in the blood might be below what a typical lab can test so it had to go to a better one.

[cake_crumb]

I’d like to know why the story about a guy having enough ricin in his hotel room to kill a few thousand people in Las Vegas was kept out of the headlines for so long. Because it would ruin the Democrat’s hard work on the “It’s the Economy, Stupid” platform?

[acapesket]

perhaps it’s a Darwin Award Alert!

[spokeshave]

When he gets out of hospital I guess his order book will be full up.

Perhaps this was/is an elaborate "sting" to flush out any potential ricin buyers out there in the marketplace.

How do we know he was really in "intensive care"...could be in "isolation" for another more devious reason.....