Attorney: Miss. Man Denies Mailing Suspected Ricin

A Mississippi man charged with mailing letters with suspected ricin to national leaders denied it through his attorney and maintains he is innocent.

Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, appeared Thursday in a federal courtroom. His handcuffs were taken off for the brief hearing, and he said little. He faces two charges on accusations of threatening President Obama and others. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison. He did not enter a plea on the two charges. The judge said a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.

Attorney Christi R. McCoy said Curtis “maintains 100 percent that he did not do this.”

“I know Kevin, I know his family,” she said. “This is a huge shock.”

McCoy said she has not yet decided whether to seek a hearing to determine whether Curtis is mentally competent to stand trial.

An FBI affidavit says Curtis sent three letters with suspected ricin to Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker and a Mississippi judge.

The letters read: “No one wanted to listen to me before. There are still ‘Missing Pieces.’ Maybe I have your attention now even if that means someone must die. This must stop. To see a wrong and not expose it is to become a silent partner to its continuance. I am KC and I approve this message.”

The affidavit says Curtis had sent letters to Wicker’s office several times before with the message, “This is Kevin Curtis and I approve this message.”

This article appeared in print on page 2 of the April 19th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.