Lancet Jades
03-10-2004, 02:07 PM
Sentencing set in missing plague case
By BETSY BLANEY, Associated Press
Last Updated 9:20 a.m. PST Wednesday, March 10, 2004
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - A former Texas Tech University professor who started a bioterrorism scare when he reported plague bacteria missing last year should be sentenced to probation and community service for his crimes, his lawyers said.
"No purpose would be served by a prison sentence, and the good that could be done by ordering community service should not be ignored," the defense motion states.
http://ads.sacbee.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_lx.ads/www.sacbee.com/24hour/nation/1507100337/Button20/Sacbee/coldwell_336_nw_mar_4/statictable_Coldwell_336x280_y ellow.html/343038383161653134303431356631 30?_RM_EMPTY_ Prosecutors have said they support the recommendations in a presentencing report, which has not been disclosed.
Dr. Thomas Butler, 62, who has lost his job and his medical license, was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.
The former Texas Tech professor faces as many as 240 years in prison, although he'll likely get far less under federal sentencing guidelines. He also faces fines up to $11.7 million.
Butler declined to comment Tuesday.
The case stemmed from Butler's report to police last January that 30 vials of potentially deadly plague bacteria were missing from his lab. He later said he accidentally destroyed the samples, but during his trial he testified he had no clear memory of destroying the vials and that they could have been destroyed during his cleanup of an accident.
A jury on Dec. 1 found Butler guilty of mislabeling a package that contained plague samples he sent to Tanzania. He also was convicted of unrelated charges of theft, embezzlement, fraud, and mail and wire fraud charges pertaining to contracts he negotiated with pharmaceutical companies.
He was acquitted of 22 charges, including the most serious charges of smuggling and illegally transporting the potentially deadly germ.
In a settlement with Texas Tech in late January, Butler agreed to pay $250,000 to the school and retire. Last month, Butler voluntarily surrendered his medical license to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners.
By BETSY BLANEY, Associated Press
Last Updated 9:20 a.m. PST Wednesday, March 10, 2004
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - A former Texas Tech University professor who started a bioterrorism scare when he reported plague bacteria missing last year should be sentenced to probation and community service for his crimes, his lawyers said.
"No purpose would be served by a prison sentence, and the good that could be done by ordering community service should not be ignored," the defense motion states.
http://ads.sacbee.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_lx.ads/www.sacbee.com/24hour/nation/1507100337/Button20/Sacbee/coldwell_336_nw_mar_4/statictable_Coldwell_336x280_y ellow.html/343038383161653134303431356631 30?_RM_EMPTY_ Prosecutors have said they support the recommendations in a presentencing report, which has not been disclosed.
Dr. Thomas Butler, 62, who has lost his job and his medical license, was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday.
The former Texas Tech professor faces as many as 240 years in prison, although he'll likely get far less under federal sentencing guidelines. He also faces fines up to $11.7 million.
Butler declined to comment Tuesday.
The case stemmed from Butler's report to police last January that 30 vials of potentially deadly plague bacteria were missing from his lab. He later said he accidentally destroyed the samples, but during his trial he testified he had no clear memory of destroying the vials and that they could have been destroyed during his cleanup of an accident.
A jury on Dec. 1 found Butler guilty of mislabeling a package that contained plague samples he sent to Tanzania. He also was convicted of unrelated charges of theft, embezzlement, fraud, and mail and wire fraud charges pertaining to contracts he negotiated with pharmaceutical companies.
He was acquitted of 22 charges, including the most serious charges of smuggling and illegally transporting the potentially deadly germ.
In a settlement with Texas Tech in late January, Butler agreed to pay $250,000 to the school and retire. Last month, Butler voluntarily surrendered his medical license to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners.