Excerpt
SUMMARY: Federal investigators searched a home in Tupelo, Miss., in the hunt for who sent politicians letters tainted with ricin. Gwen Ifill talks to Kimberly Kindy of The Washington Post and Marilyn Thompson of Reuters about strange twists in the investigation, including conflict between a karate teacher and an Elvis impersonator.
GWEN IFILL (Newshour): Now an update on the probe into a poison pen mystery.
Federal investigators swarmed a Tupelo, Miss., home last night, hunting for the sender of ricin-tainted letters mailed to government officials.
The home belongs to Everett Dutschke.
EVERETT DUTSCHKE, Resident of Mississippi: Everybody has something suspicious in their house, but, no, there is nothing that is related to these letters.
GWEN IFILL: Dutschke has not been arrested, and no charges have been filed. Last night's search came after yesterday's sudden twist, when a first suspect was released.
Without explanation, federal prosecutors dropped all charges against Paul Kevin Curtis of Corinth, Miss. An FBI agent testified that a search of Curtis' home found no evidence of the dangerous substance. Curtis, who was released yesterday evening, said he told investigators all along that he was innocent.
PAUL KEVIN CURTIS, Former Suspect: I respect President Obama. I love -- love my country and would never do anything to pose a threat to him or any other U.S. official.
GWEN IFILL: But it turns out Curtis has some history with Dutschke, who once threatened to sue him. Dutschke, seen in this 2007 photo with Sen. Roger Wicker, one of the officials who received the poisoned letters, also maintains he didn't mail them.
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