Suspect in poisoned letter plot to Obama freed

TUPELO, Miss. -- The Mississippi man charged with sending poisoned letters to President Barack Obama and others was released from jail Tuesday on bond, while FBI agents returned to another man's house where they'd previously searched in connection with the case.

Everett Dutschke said in a phone interview with The Associated Press that the FBI was at his Tupelo home Tuesday for a search related to the mailing of poisoned letters to Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and a state judge.

Dutschke said his house was also searched last week.

In Washington, a suspicious package containing what authorities say may be ricin was found Tuesday in a mail-sorting facility for the Defense Intelligence Agency. It wasn't clear if it was connected to the other letters.

Dutschke has maintained his innocence and says he doesn't know anything about the ingredients for ricin.

He said agents asked him about suspect Paul Kevin Curtis, whether Dutschke would take a lie-detector test and if he had ever bought castor beans, which can be used to make the potent poison.

"I'm a patriotic American. I don't have any grudges against anybody. I did not send the letters," said Dutschke, who hasn't been arrested or charged.

Outside his house, numerous law enforcement officers from several agencies were seen along with a mobile crime lab.

Earlier Tuesday, Curtis was released from custody without an immediate explanation from authorities.

Later, his attorney Hal Neilson said that Curtis was released on bond and that charges haven't yet been dropped against him. He said conditions of the bond are sealed by the court. Defense attorneys say a news conference is scheduled for later in the afternoon.

An FBI had agent testified in court this week that a search of Curtis' home turned up no ricin or evidence it was being made there.

The third day of a preliminary and detention hearing was canceled without officials explaining the change.

Through his lawyers, Curtis has denied involvement in the letters.

Curtis was arrested last Wednesday at his house in Corinth, Miss., and charged with sending the ricin-laced letters, the first of which was found April 15.