Bruce Edwards Ivins

Bruce Ivins
Ivins at a USAMRIID awards ceremony, 2003
Born(1946-04-22)April 22, 1946
Lebanon, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJuly 29, 2008(2008-07-29) (aged 62)
Frederick, Maryland, U.S.
Cause of deathSuicide by overdose
EducationUniversity of Cincinnati (BS, MS, PhD)
Scientific career
FieldsMicrobiology
InstitutionsUnited States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
ThesisBinding, Uptake, and Expression of Diptheria [sic] Toxin in Cultured Mammalian Cells (1976)
Doctoral advisorPeter Bonventre

Bruce Edwards Ivins (/ˈaɪvɪnz/; April 22, 1946 – July 29, 2008)[1] was an American microbiologist, vaccinologist,[1] senior biodefense researcher at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Fort Detrick, Maryland, and the person suspected by the FBI of the 2001 anthrax attacks.[2] Ivins died on July 29, 2008, of an overdose of acetaminophen (Tylenol/paracetamol) in a suicide after learning that criminal charges were likely to be filed against him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for an alleged criminal connection to the attacks.[3][4][5]

At a news conference at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) on August 6, 2008 (eight days after Ivins' suicide), FBI and DOJ officials formally announced that the Government had concluded that Ivins was likely solely responsible for the deaths of five people, and for the injury of dozens of others, resulting from the September–October 2001 mailings to members of Congress and to members of the media, of several anonymous letters which contained Bacillus anthracis, commonly referred to as anthrax.[6][7] On February 19, 2010, the FBI released a 92-page summary of evidence against Ivins and announced that it had concluded its investigation.[8][9] The FBI conclusions have been contested by many, including senior microbiologists, the widow of one of the victims,[10] and several prominent American politicians. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who was among the targets in the attack, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ), and Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)[11][12][13] all argued that Ivins was not solely responsible for the attacks. No formal charges were ever filed against Ivins for the crime, and no direct evidence of his involvement has been uncovered.[11]

The FBI subsequently requested a panel from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review its scientific work on the case.[14] On May 15, 2011, the panel released its findings, which "conclude[d] that the bureau overstated the strength of genetic analysis linking the mailed anthrax to a supply kept by Bruce E. Ivins."[11][15] The NAS committee stated that its primary finding was that "it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion about the origins of the B. anthracis in the mailings based on the available scientific evidence alone."[12][13][16]

  1. ^ a b "Obituary: Dr. Bruce Edwards Ivins". Frederick News-Post. July 31, 2008. Archived from the original on August 5, 2008. Retrieved August 1, 2008.
  2. ^ Willman, David (August 1, 2008). "Apparent suicide in anthrax case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 1, 2008.
  3. ^ Apuzzo, Matt; Dishneau, David (August 1, 2008). "U.S. wanted death penalty in anthrax case". Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 7, 2008. Retrieved August 1, 2008. Federal prosecutors investigating the 2001 anthrax attacks were planning to indict and seek the death penalty against a top Army microbiologist who was developing a vaccine against the deadly toxin.
  4. ^ Willman, David (September 18, 2008). "Senators question FBI's handling of anthrax inquiry". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved September 23, 2008. Ivins, 62, committed suicide July 29. His former lawyers have said they would have won his acquittal at a trial.
  5. ^ Jordan, Lara Jakes; Dishneau, David (August 1, 2008). "Anthrax scientist commits suicide as FBI closes in". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 13, 2009. Retrieved August 1, 2008. A top U.S. biodefense researcher apparently committed suicide just as the Justice Department was about to file criminal charges against him in the anthrax mailings that traumatized the nation in the weeks following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to a published report.
  6. ^ Carrie Johnson, Mary Beth Sheridan and William Branigin (August 6, 2008). "Officials Say Scientist Was Solely Responsible for Anthrax Attacks". The Washington Post.
  7. ^ "Government's Omnibus Motion to Unseal Search Warrants and Accompanying Documents, and Memorandum of Law In Support Thereof" (PDF). US District Court for the District of Columbia. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
  8. ^ Joby Warrick (February 20, 2010). "FBI investigation of 2001 anthrax attacks concluded; U.S. releases details". The Washington Post.
  9. ^ "AMERITHRAX Investigative Summary" (PDF). United States Department of Justice. February 19, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  10. ^ "Widow of anthrax victim doubts FBI's conclusion". The Wall Street Journal. Associated Press. May 19, 2011. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2011.
  11. ^ a b c Greenwald, Glenn (February 16, 2011). "Serious doubt cast on FBI's anthrax case against Bruce Ivans". Salon. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Gordon, Greg (May 26, 2011). "Congressman presses FBI for anthrax information". Miami Herald.[dead link]
  13. ^ a b Lengel, Allan (May 26, 2011). "Rep. Nadler Criticizes FBI in Letter to Director Mueller Over Anthrax Probe". Ticklethewire.com. (includes complete text of letter from Rep. Jerrold Nadler).
  14. ^ Scott Shane (April 23, 2010). "Colleague Disputes Case Against Anthrax Suspect". The New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  15. ^ "National-Academies.org - Where the Nation Turns for Independent, Expert Advice". nationalacademies.org.
  16. ^ Multiple sources: