Brief hearing held in suspicious letters case

       
A man in the US state of Mississippi charged with making a deadly poison sent to President Barack Obama and others was on Monday ordered held without bond until a hearing later this week when prosecutors are expected to describe what evidence they have against him       

James Everett Dutschke made a brief appearance in a federal court wearing an orange jumpsuit with his hands shackled.      

Authorities spent several days last week searching Dutschke's home and former business.         

So far they have said very little about the suspect beyond a news release announcing the charge of making and possessing ricin over the weekend.         

Dutschke's arrest early on Saturday capped a week in which investigators initially zeroed in on a rival of his, then decided they had the wrong man.        

Dutschke has denied involvement in the mailing of the letters, saying he's a patriot with no grudges against anyone.          

The 41-year-old suspect said little during his hearing other than answering affirmatively to the judge's questions about whether he understood the charges against him.         

"The marshals took his handcuffs off when he got into the courtroom, and he sat down at the defendant's table, and he shook his head from side to side as he flipped through some court papers, and he answered in a strong, clear voice when the judge spoke to him," said Holbrook Mohr, an AP reporter who is following the case.        

The judge ordered Dutschke to remain jailed until a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Thursday.         

More details are likely to emerge at that hearing, when prosecutors have to show they have enough evidence to hold him.         

Dutschke's house, business and vehicles in Tupelo, Mississippi, were searched last week, often by crews in hazardous materials suits, and he had been under surveillance.       

He faces up to life in prison if convicted.       

The letters, which tests showed were tainted with ricin, were sent on 8 April to Obama, Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Mississippi judge Sadie Holland.         

The first suspect accused by the FBI was Paul Kevin Curtis, a 45-year-old Elvis impersonator.       

He was arrested on 17 April at his Corinth, Mississippi, home, but the charges were dropped six days later and Curtis, who says he was framed, was released from jail.      

After Curtis was released, the focus then turned to Dutschke, who has ties to the former suspect and judge Holland.      

Curtis's lawyer, Christi McCoy, says she doesn't think Curtis was the primary target of the scheme, and that the person who sent the letters just wanted a scapegoat.         

"We are 100 percent open to working with the government in helping Kevin and also in the continuing investigation and prosecution of Mr. Dutschke," said McCoy.        

Dutschke and Curtis were acquainted.         

Curtis said they had talked about possibly publishing a book on a conspiracy that Curtis insists he has uncovered to sell body parts on a black market.        

But he said they later had a feud.         


AP